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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25212289">Everything</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susan19/pseuds/Susan19'>Susan19</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Seen [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 11:27:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>35,940</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25212289</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susan19/pseuds/Susan19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Tara and Buffy have been dating for several months - each hiding a certain secret from the other.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Faith Lehane/Tara Maclay/Buffy Summers, Tara Maclay/Buffy Summers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Seen [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1826614</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>40</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"If I were her, I'd get out of town post-hastey," Buffy said, with more energy than she felt about the situation. Faith was awake, and Buffy couldn't even begin to decide how she felt about it.</p><p>"You're not me." Faith whipped around to see Buffy approaching with a blonde girl at her side. She looked the girl up and down and scowled. It's the same girl Buffy was all cuddled up with at Giles' apartment the previous night.</p><p>Faith was far too angry about everything to process her feelings about this new development. It was upsetting enough that Buffy wasn't even with the guy she had almost killed Faith to save - but the fact that it was a woman. Faith was pretty sure her head would explode if she let herself think about that too much.</p><p>"Faith… how are you?" Buffy stammered, feeling nervous and unsure of what she should be saying or doing. She hadn't expected to just run into Faith and wasn't sure how to act.</p><p>"How am I? Seriously? You tried to gut me! You took everything from me, and now you're asking how I am?!" Faith was a ball of rage, she took a menacing step towards Buffy, but Buffy didn't visibly react. "How the hell do you think I am?"</p><p>"Faith." The blonde stranger took a step forward, confusing Faith and distracting her from Buffy. "Do you recognize me?"</p><p>Faith looked the girl over, a little curious to how she clearly knew who Faith was - but didn't seem to be afraid. "No. Should I?"</p><p>The girl frowned but nodded. "That's OK. I'm Tara. I've heard a lot about you, it's nice to finally meet you." Tara held out her hand for Faith to shake, taking the irate slayer off guard. She almost reached out to return the greeting before she remembered what she was doing and pulled her hand back.</p><p>Tara smiled and dropped her hand, then faith turned her attention back to Buffy. The sound of sirens cut through the tension. Faith started to run, but Tara reached for Faith's hand before she could move past her.</p><p>"Come to my dorm room tonight," Tara said while gripping Faith's hand and staring into her eyes.</p><p>After it seemed like Tara wasn't going to let her hand go, Faith yanked it away and took a step back but didn't try to leave. "Why would I do that?" Faith couldn't make any sense of what was happening. Buffy should be trying to kill her, not standing silently by while she let someone else do the talking for her.</p><p>"Because if you do, I can help you get what you want," Tara said with an eerie calmness.</p><p>"You're gonna get back the life she stole from me?" Faith said, motioning her chin towards Buffy.</p><p>"You don't want your life back," Tara said with certainty.</p><p>"What do you know about what I want?" Faith was pretty sure that she didn't even know what she wanted, it was daunting to think that this woman she had never met - might have the answers.</p><p>"Come tonight and find out. What do you have to lose? You already have nothing." Tara grinned, she wasn't at all sure where this confidence was coming from. So far, nothing was going how she had expected it to, yet she still believed they would all get through this without anyone getting hurt and everyone getting what they wanted.</p><p>Faith was taken aback by the comment and the oddly comforting way it was said. Everything about Tara was very confusing to her. She felt like they knew each other, at the same time - Faith was positive they had never met.</p><p>"Stevenson - room 312," Tara called out as she retreated to stand next to Buffy.</p><p>The sirens were getting closer, and Faith couldn't wait any longer, so she turned and ran. She was surprised that Buffy didn't chase her. There was a lot about that encounter that didn't make any sense to her. She had a lot to think about.</p><p>"Tara? What was that? Do you think you can help her?" Buffy watched Faith running away from the police, very confused by her conflicting emotions. She had spent a lot of time thinking about what would happen when she saw Faith again. Now she wished she'd spent more time figuring out what to say to her.</p><p>Tara smiled and squeezed Buffy close, kissing her gently on the cheek before guiding them towards her next class. "I think <strong>we</strong> can help her."</p><p>"What aren't you telling me? What is it that she wants?" Buffy was thoroughly mystified by everything that just happened. Tara didn't seem to be at all afraid of Faith, and with everything she had told her about the troubled slayer, she definitely should have been.</p><p>Tara smiled, "you."</p><p>"Me? What?" Buffy pulled away from Tara. "What does that mean?"</p><p>"You trust me, right?" Tara asked, even though she already knew the answer. Still, she needed the reassurance, especially now that Faith was awake.</p><p>"You know, I do. With my everything." Buffy offered easily and honestly.</p><p>"OK, then I'll see you after class, and we'll talk. Hopefully, she'll show up tonight."</p><p>"You don't know what she's going to do?"</p><p>Tara shuddered. "She's too angry and confused to get a good read on. I think she'll come." Tara was trying to control her disappointment at how angry and chaotic Faith's aura was. She had hoped that things would be different for Faith when she woke up. All Tara could do now was push forward and hope that with Buffy's help - Faith would remember who she wanted to be.</p><p>Buffy frowned, her shoulders sagging. "She hates me. How can I help her if she hates me?"</p><p>"She doesn't know what she feels right now. If she gives us a chance, we can get through to her, I'm sure of it." Tara wasn't quite as confident as she was trying to appear.</p><p>"What are you planning?" Buffy was somehow not surprised that Tara had some sort of plan for how to deal with Faith, even though they had never discussed the prospect of Faith waking up.</p><p>Tara winked and kissed Buffy again, on the lips this time. "I don't want to say until we know if it has any chance of working."</p><p>Buffy groaned in acceptance, "fine. You're lucky I love you so much."</p><p>"I know it, believe me." Tara grinned and gave Buffy another quick kiss before heading towards her next class.</p><p>Buffy stood, watching Tara go with a smile on her face. She had no idea what Tara was up to, but she really hoped it would work. Buffy wanted more than anything to help Faith. Even though she had never been able to admit it, even to herself, Faith and the way Buffy had treated her was her deepest regret.</p><p>"Finally, I thought she'd never leave you alone."</p><p>"Ugh," Buffy growled and dropped her shoulders, her happy moment stolen from her. "Hey, Riley."</p><p>"I really need to talk to you," Riley said while standing far too close for Buffy's comfort.</p><p>"I very much doubt that." Buffy tried to maneuver around him, but he grabbed her arm. "Let me go."</p><p>Instead of letting her go, Riley tightened his grip - squeezing what would have been painfully on her biceps if she weren't the slayer. A fact that she was pretty confident he did not know. "I'm serious, Buffy. That girl you were just talking to, she is dangerous. You have to keep away from her."</p><p>"What girl?" Riley never hid his distaste for Tara, but he hadn't tried to claim that she was dangerous before.</p><p>"The girl with the brown hair and the jean jacket. Her name is Faith, and she's dangerous." Riley moved his hands to her shoulders, pulling her closer and looming over her.</p><p>That caught Buffy's attention and caused her to stop struggling. "What do you know about Faith?"</p><p>"What do you know about her?" Riley backed off slightly in surprise at the sharpness in Buffy's question.</p><p>"I asked you first. You said she was dangerous." Buffy finally moved past her shock that Riley knew who Faith was and managed to pull out of his grip on her shoulders. It wasn't the first time she wondered why she ever agreed to continue to be friends with him. Then she remembered that the reason was to keep him close until she knew for sure if he was trying to hurt Tara. Once she had her answer, this "friendship" would be over - one way or another.</p><p>"Yeah, but I can't tell you what I know." Riley crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at her with smugness. She had to resist rolling her eyes - or shoving her fist through his face.</p><p>As she did her best to ignore how annoying he was and think about what he was saying - she began to panic. His behavior seemed like more indication that he was working with the soldiers they had been investigating for several months. The soldiers she suspected were collecting demons and using them for who knows what. If they were after Faith, she could be in serious danger. And Tara had told her to come back to campus. This was all kinds of bad. She needed to talk to Tara now. "OK, well. Thanks for the warning." Buffy turned and ran towards Tara's class, hoping that Riley wouldn't follow her.</p><p>She got Tara's attention, and Tara quickly got up from her seat to meet Buffy in the hallway.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Buffy's energy was more frantic than Tara had ever seen. She briefly wondered if Faith had returned, and there had been another confrontation.</p><p>"Riley talked to me after you left. He was warning me about Faith being dangerous."</p><p>Tara's eyes widened, quickly putting together the same theory that Buffy had. "You think this proves that he's with the soldiers and that they know about Faith."</p><p>Buffy nodded. "What can we do?"</p><p>"Does he know that you know her?"</p><p>"I don't think so. He saw us talking, but he told me Faith's name like he didn't think I knew it." Buffy shrugged, she now wished that she had chased after Faith just to keep her safe. She knew Faith could take care of herself against anything in the demon world. But those soldiers were a different story.</p><p>Tara cycled through possible ideas. She knew that she could use magic to track Faith down, but if she did that, her plan to gain Faith's trust would be ruined. Faith had to come to them, it had to be her choice.</p><p>"What would they even want from her? You still don't think he knows who you are, right?"</p><p>"No, I don't think so." Buffy frowned, "if they try to capture her, she may kill someone."</p><p>"I know - we can't let that happen." Tara thought for a moment, "do you have anything of hers?"</p><p>Buffy looked nervous, "why?" She was spinning the ring on her thumb, a ring that Tara had long since guessed belonged to the younger slayer.</p><p>"We'll talk more about this tonight." Tara held out her hand, and Buffy slid the ring off her thumb and handed it to Tara.</p><p>"Tara… I…" Buffy was ashamed that she had never been completely honest about Faith.</p><p>"Don't worry about it, I promise you that I'm not upset. We will talk later, OK?" Tara did her best to ease the shame she could see Buffy was feeling.</p><p>"Is this the same spell that you used on Spike?" Buffy was a little unsure of which response she was hoping for. She should be worried about Faith hurting others, somehow she was more concerned that Faith would be hurt before they had a chance to talk.</p><p>Tara shook her head, "no - I wouldn't want to leave her defenseless. This spell will keep her hidden from anyone who means her harm."</p><p>Buffy watched with apprehension as Tara performed the spell and then returned the ring.</p><p>"Keep wearing it. I'll see you after class." Tara smiled and kissed Buffy goodbye before returning to her class.</p><p>Buffy shrugged as she watched Tara walking away. Feeling immensely guilty about… well, everything. She trusted Tara entirely, though. She believed the witch had a plan that would keep Faith safe.</p><hr/><p>Buffy paced inside Tara's dorm room, waiting with knots in her stomach for Tara to return from her last class. She had told Giles and Willow that she'd run into Faith, but she didn't think she would hurt anyone. They had agreed to give Buffy the time and space to work things out. Buffy only hoped that it wasn't a terrible mistake. If anyone, especially Faith, got hurt because she didn't act fast enough, she would never forgive herself.</p><p>"Are you OK?"</p><p>Buffy had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear Tara come in. "I'm really worried. What if…"</p><p>"Shhh… It's OK. It's going to be OK." Tara wrapped Buffy in her arms and did her best to believe that what she was saying was true. If this went wrong, it could have very dire consequences for everyone involved.</p><p>"You don't understand." Buffy frowned, she had told Tara a lot about Faith, more than anyone else had known. But she wasn't sure anyone could really understand how terrible she felt about what happened between the two slayers.</p><p>Tara pulled Buffy so they were sitting side by side on the bed. "Can you try to explain? I know you told me a lot about Faith, but there must be something more you aren't saying."</p><p>"I… let her down. I should have welcomed her into my life… instead, I pushed her away." Buffy winced as she remembered the final fight with Faith. She could still feel Faith's warm blood spilling out and coating her hands. A vision that haunted her on a nearly daily basis.</p><p>"You've said that before." Tara tried to gently probe, hoping that if Buffy could fully admit to her feelings - that they would stop causing her so much pain.</p><p>Buffy sighed, "I know… but… I don't know if I can talk to you about this." The real problem wasn't in telling Tara. It was that Buffy had never let herself think about Faith enough to process her feelings.</p><p>"Why not? You can talk to me about anything."</p><p>Buffy stood up and walked to the window, looking out into the night and just decided to let it all out. Tara deserved to know everything, even if she ended up hating her for it. "I was so jealous of her when she first showed up. I think… I think I hated her."</p><p>Tara waited for Buffy to continue, she was a little surprised that Buffy could have ever really hated Faith.</p><p>"She was just so… Faith. So happy - so carefree - so much better than I was."</p><p>Tara considered arguing with Buffy on this point. From Buffy's and everyone else's stories of Faith - she was sure that Buffy believed the exact opposite was true. Tara opted to stay silent, hoping that Buffy would finally let herself work through what had happened. Tara had her suspicions of how Buffy actually felt about Faith, but she had no real proof and strongly suspected that Buffy had never even admitted the truth to herself.</p><p>"I let my jealousy drive me crazy, I acted like I was better than her. I acted like she wasn't special or needed. I ignored the truth, I ignored how sad and lonely she always looked when she didn't think anyone could see. I ignored her hurt when she was excluded from things."</p><p>Buffy's whole body was shaking, "secretly, I was happy when she screwed up. Instead of telling her I understood - that I knew it was an accident - I just latched on to her telling me that she didn't care. Even when I knew that she did. If I had just been even slightly human to her… none of what happened would have. If she ever just once knew that I was on her side..." Buffy trailed off, she was losing the battle with herself to not start crying.</p><p>"How can she ever give me a chance now? How will she ever believe that I'm not that same selfish asshole who was so scared and confused by how I felt that I pushed her away? When I should have…" Tears were streaming down her face, and Tara moved to hold her.</p><p>"Why would she even listen to me? She hates me, and she should. I messed everything up, and then I tried to kill her! I don't deserve for her to give me a chance."</p><p>"Of course you do. You were young and scared. You didn't understand what you were feeling." Tara was fighting hard to keep her composure. Buffy's emotions were swirling wildly, and it was making her slightly dizzy. She knew she had to stay strong - for all of their sakes.</p><p>"I understood it fine. I was petty and jealous. I thought I had outgrown what an awful person I was in LA - but it all came back with a vengeance once I met Faith." Buffy pulled out of Tara's arms and covered her face with her hands. She didn't feel she deserved Tara's comfort.</p><p>Tara reached for Buffy, forcing her to look in her eyes. "That's not true." Tara wiped Buffy's tears away.</p><p>Buffy shook her head and backed away from Tara.</p><p>"Even if it is true, even if you were mean on purpose, just to be mean. Would you do that again? Would you ever hurt her now?"</p><p>"No!" Buffy was horrified at the idea that she could become that person again.</p><p>Tara smiled softly at Buffy's adamant response. "I think she'll see that. I think she'll see that you want to try and repair the hurt you've caused each other. That you truly want to help her."</p><p>"I really do. I don't know what the council will do to her. We can't let them take her. Even if she hates me, we can't let that happen. Promise me that you won't let them take her." Buffy felt slightly better, now that she had worked through some of her feelings. She was more able to focus on the reality of the situation. Faith was going to have people after her, and she was going to need help.</p><p>"I promise." Buffy's emotions were finally beginning to settle, and Tara was regaining her confidence that her plan would work out.</p><p>"I'm serious, I know you don't like to use your magic on humans - but this is different. She doesn't deserve whatever they might do to her."</p><p>"I will do everything within my power to keep her safe. I promise." Tara was solemn in her words. Tara was more committed to the idea of keeping Faith safe than Buffy could have known. When she had first learned that Faith was awake, she was more than a little concerned that she might have to fight Buffy on how to handle Faith.</p><p>Buffy let out a sigh of relief and wiped her face free of tears. "Thank you. I should go, it might be easier for you to help her without me here."</p><p>The door opened before Tara could respond.</p><p>"You trust me alone with your girl?" Faith asked as she entered. Her demeanor was a little hard to read. Her aura was not quite as chaotic as it was when Tara first saw the slayer - but it was not as whole as she had hoped it would be.</p><p>Neither Buffy nor Tara had moved. Faith was surprised that Buffy hadn't attacked her immediately or at least tried to get into a more defensible position. The other slayer didn't even look ready for any kind of fight. Her face was red and puffy from crying, and Faith was struggling to keep hold of her anger.</p><p>"Are you still planning on using that?" Tara motioned towards Faith's pocket and watched with apprehension as Faith pulled the magical item out. Faith held the small metal device in her hand for a few moments before throwing it to the ground and stomping on it.</p><p>Tara was relieved that she had included magical item detection along with the other protections she had added to her room. She was also encouraged by Faith's reaction. It served as proof that, even though Faith hadn't remembered everything, she was not nearly as evil as everyone seemed to believe.</p><p>"What was that thing?" Buffy asked, moving a little closer to examine the remnants of the device.</p><p>"The mayor left it for me." Faith was ashamed as she looked down at the broken device, "it would let me switch bodies with someone."</p><p>"What were you going to do with it?" Buffy asked - she was more confused than worried at this point.</p><p>Faith looked up and locked eyes with Buffy, "I was going to switch with your girl. Get close to you."</p><p>"Then what?" Buffy barely forced the question out, her confusion was turning into anger that Faith was considering hurting Tara.</p><p>"I hadn't really thought that far ahead." Faith shrugged and backed away.</p><p>"It doesn't matter now, though, right?" Tara said, pointing at the remnants of the device on the floor.</p><p>Both slayers nodded, though neither relaxed much. Until seeing that device, it hasn't even crossed Buffy's mind that Faith might hurt Tara. She fought through her anger and focused on believing that Tara had some way to keep Faith out of danger, without anyone getting hurt.</p><p>"So, what's the plan here? How are you going to help me get what I want?" Faith stood with her arms folded over her chest. Trying to appear calm and confident - even though she was definitely neither.</p><p>"First, you have to decide if you're going to trust us enough to let us help you." Tara took a cautious step towards Faith and watched as Faith's aura reacted. Faith's aura had been rapidly changing since she had entered the room. It was almost like it was fighting with itself.</p><p>"I'm here, aren't I?" She held her arms out wide, getting more irritated by the moment. She didn't know why she thought coming here was a good idea.</p><p>"You are, but that doesn't mean you're ready to listen. That you're willing to believe that Buffy really does want to help you."</p><p>Faith scoffed and re-crossed her arms over her chest. "Like all I overheard was supposed to make happen? Do you think I really believed any of that shit?"</p><p>Buffy frowned and moved in the direction of the door, "I told you she wouldn't trust me. I'll just go and let you two talk."</p><p>"No way, how do I know you're not going to call the council or the cops when you leave?" Faith moved quickly to bar Buffy's path to the exit.</p><p>"What can I do then? How can I prove to you that I want to help?"</p><p>Faith was annoyed with herself. She had decided to come here, and despite what she said, she had believed everything she'd heard. Everything in Buffy's reaction to her so far fits with Buffy genuinely trying to help her. Even if Buffy had been planning something, no way would she leave Faith alone with Tara if she thought that Faith was dangerous.</p><p>"Whatever, can we just get on with this? If people are after me, I'm not sure how long it's safe to stay here."</p><p>Tara was relieved that Faith was at least somewhat agreeing to cooperate. Then she began to worry about her plan, "I have something to explain to both of you."</p><p>Buffy looked at Tara, "what is it? Do you have some way to stop the council and those soldiers?"</p><p>"I've dealt with them for now. No one who means Faith any harm will be able to find her."</p><p>"You put a spell on me?" Faith wasn't sure what to feel about this news, her first instinct was to be angry at the intrusion.</p><p>"Only to protect you. Only to make sure no one could hurt you while you decided what you wanted to do." Tara explained, and Faith didn't really seem to calm.</p><p>"She would never hurt you, Faith. She wants to help you." Buffy added, and Faith gave her a strange look.</p><p>"Why? Why would you want to help me with anything? You don't even know me and anything B told you should make you want to lock me up." Faith had met people who wanted to "help" her before. There was always a catch.</p><p>Tara sighed, "I'm going to explain. But I need both of you to promise you'll let me finish before you react."</p><p>Buffy wasn't sure why she would need to keep that promise, but she nodded. Faith didn't respond at all, only standing stoically as she waited for Tara to start talking.</p><p>Tara sat down at her desk and rubbed her temples, "I've known for quite some time that you were seeing her." Tara looked at Buffy, and Buffy frowned in shame.</p><p>"Seeing me?" Faith asked, not yet following what they might be talking about.</p><p>Buffy swallowed hard, completely ashamed of what she had been doing, and that she tried to hide it from Tara. "I visited you while you were in your coma."</p><p>Faith was shocked by this news and slid to the floor against the wall. Her complete confusion at what she was hearing disarming her distrust and anger for now, at least.</p><p>After a few moments of silence, Tara started up her story again. "At first, I was upset. I didn't understand, you didn't really explain what had happened between the two of you. Everything I heard about Faith..." Tara shook her head, not wanting to re-open old wounds. "I knew she was more important to you than you were willing to admit. I had to find out what really happened. So I started visiting her too."</p><p>Buffy gasped and sat down on the bed.</p><p>"You know I can see things about people... I generally don't, unless I think it's needed. With this... I.." Tara took a few calming breaths. "I entered Faith's mind… I had to know what happened between you two."</p><p>"What the fuck!" Faith quickly stood back up and took an aggressive step towards Tara, she was surprised when neither Buffy nor Tara moved to stop her. Their complete lack of reaction caused her to hesitate and gave her the opportunity to think things through.</p><p>"I only looked at things I knew about from what Buffy told me. I had her perspective. I needed yours too." Tara was looking into Faith's eyes, and Faith was completely drawn in. No one had ever looked at her like that before. Faith knew in that moment that Tara saw her - saw everything about her - and unlike everyone else in Faith's life - Tara wasn't disgusted by what she saw.</p><p>Faith backed down, she was too confused to focus on how angry she was.</p><p>When neither slayer spoke, Tara began talking again. "I used a spell to allow us to communicate. Eventually, she began to trust me, and we would talk almost daily. I had gone through all your shared experiences, and I tried to get you to talk through them with me too. You were so guilty, so ashamed - I thought I was helping you come to terms with what had happened."</p><p>Buffy nodded, remembering the oddly pointed conversations they would have about Faith. "You were helping me." She acknowledged. It had helped her deal with her guilt about Faith and the betrayal she had always felt. Tara helped her understand Faith's perspective and see that they were both just terrified girls, who were put in an awful and complicated situation.</p><p>"No matter how much we talked, you were still so filled with guilt. I wanted to help you more. I knew Faith needed to wake up. So I started to do more, trying to heal her. Trying to help her find her way. Over that time… things started to change. I started to see who she really was…. And I …" Buffy looked up as Tara explained, as she watched the other woman looking at Faith - she knew exactly what Tara was going to say next. "I fell in love with her," Tara admitted quietly. Buffy's eyes darted to Faith, and she saw the transformation.</p><p>Whatever it was that Tara was feeling, Faith felt it too.</p><p>Buffy felt her chest tighten, and she stood up. All those fears and resentments that she was afraid were still inside her started swirling around.</p><p>"I started to wonder if there was some way…" Tara hadn't been able to tear her eyes away from Faith. The slayer's aura was changing rapidly, and Tara was sure this meant that Faith was remembering all that had transpired between them.</p><p>Before she could finish her thought, Buffy had opened the door. She looked back into the room, "I hope you two are very happy together." Then she was gone.</p><p>Faith stood in total confusion. Memories of Tara began to flood in, months' worth of conversations with the woman she'd never met before. Tara knew everything about her, and Faith felt like she knew everything about Tara.</p><p>"I remember you." Faith was still sorting through her memories - she had no idea what any of it meant yet. All she knew was that this witch wanted to help her.</p><p>Tara nodded, she had tears in her eyes - but she couldn't let herself cry. Things hadn't gone at all according to plan.</p><p>It hadn't been her intention to confess everything right away. But she had been overwhelmed by the presence of both slayers and lost control. She hadn't even managed to get Buffy to realize the truth of why Faith weighed on her so heavily.</p><p>Now she was worried she had lost them both.</p><p>"I'll go get her." Faith said, and then she was gone too.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Buffy ran down the hall and descended two flights of stairs before she gave in to the agony she was feeling. Collapsing against the wall and staring into space. She was so confused by what just happened that she couldn't form a coherent thought. She had trusted Tara, trusted her completely, and now it turns out that Tara betrayed her.</p><p>"B?"</p><p>Buffy looked up - Faith had appeared before her eyes. "Did you just jump down the stairs?"</p><p>"Little bit." Faith grinned, "impressive, right?"</p><p>Buffy chuckled despite herself, "yeah. I'm impressed." Then she furrowed her brow. Her world was crashing in on her - yet she honestly was happy that Faith was awake. Not just awake - but here and talking to her. Buffy had expected violence, or at least yelling - but there had been none. Faith wasn't behaving like Buffy had imagined, and neither was Buffy.</p><p>"Why did you leave?" Faith broke through Buffy's introspection- knocking Buffy back into the current moment.</p><p>Buffy gave her an incredulous eye roll, "Oh, I don't know. Maybe because the girl I thought loved me - confessed her love for someone else. That someone else being a girl I have very complicated feelings for, and let's not forget - wants to kill me."</p><p>Faith sighed and sat on the steps across from Buffy, leaning back on her elbows and spreading herself out. Looking very relaxed and annoying Buffy with her calmness. "I don't want to kill you."</p><p>"Isn't that why you came to Tara's room tonight?" Buffy tried to push her annoyance away. She had promised herself that if she ever did talk to Faith again - that she would be patient and give the younger slayer the chance that she never gave her before.</p><p>Faith's composure didn't change, she just shook her head, "Nah. Wasn't gonna kill you. Not sure what I was gonna do… but I wasn't gonna kill you."</p><p>"So just to hurt me then? Just take everything from me, like I did from you?"</p><p>Faith met her eyes, "maybe. Like I said, I didn't really plan it all out. I was just… upset."</p><p>"And now?"</p><p>Faith paused for a moment and looked up the stairs, before returning her attention to Buffy. "Now…. I... I want what I think she was offering."</p><p>"Good. You should go back up there and get it." Buffy was a little surprised that she actually meant what she said. The thought that maybe Tara and Faith could be happy together didn't make her angry. It hurt, she was sad (OK, maybe devastated) - but she wasn't angry or resentful. It was oddly comforting to think that maybe she was a better person than she had originally thought.</p><p>Faith leaned forward and considered Buffy, "that only works if you come with me."</p><p>"What are you talking about? Me being there is the last thing either of you need."</p><p>"I don't think you understood what she was trying to say." Faith said quietly, really unsure of where to go now. She was making a lot of assumptions, based on things she and Tara had discussed. She was nervous to find out now that either the witch was lying to her, or that Buffy still wouldn't be able to admit to what she wanted.</p><p>"Pretty sure I heard her loud and clear. She said she loves you." Buffy stood and began to head down the next flight of stairs. " Tara will be able to keep you safe. I'll come by tomorrow to see if you need anything from me, and to take you to your stuff."</p><p>"My stuff?"</p><p>"Yeah, it's all boxed up in my mother's basement. I figured you'd wake up eventually, and you would need your things."</p><p>Faith stood for a moment, trying to collect her thoughts. Buffy had managed another flight of stairs before Faith got moving again. Faith again jumped down the flight of stairs, landing directly in front of Buffy and making her step back.</p><p>"I don't get this B. Aren't you worried that I might hurt her?"</p><p>Buffy was startled by the question. She cocked her head to the side as she thought about it, and then let out a chuckle.</p><p>"Something is funny about that?"</p><p>"No, it's not funny. It was just pointed out to me recently, that I trust Tara far too much. This is just another example of that."</p><p>"What are you talking about?"</p><p>Buffy sighed, "I immediately trust Tara on everything. I don't even question it. So if she tells me she loves you - then that means she does and that you are worthy of that love. It never even crossed my mind that you might hurt her."</p><p>Faith frowned as she considered Buffy's words. She hadn't really had much time to actually think about how she felt. Now that she had, she easily understand what Buffy meant.</p><p>Buffy read the expression on Faith's face with a grin. "I see you feel the same way." Buffy smiled, relaxing even more about the situation. No matter how hurt she was, she knew that everything was going to be OK.</p><p>Faith ran her fingers through her hair. "I still don't see how you can just walk away from her without a fight."</p><p>Buffy frowned at the suggestion that they might fight over Tara. "It's more complicated than that. I care about her happiness more than mine. You're who she wants to be with, I'm not going to make either one of you feel bad about that." Buffy sighed, "I need her... Both of you in my life. I hope that's going to be possible. I'm not saying it's going to be easy… just know I would never do anything to hurt either of you."</p><p>Faith's heart was breaking, she still wasn't sure about any of this. She was reeling from her memories of the time spent with Tara. Time that she knew wasn't even real - but it felt real. It felt like a lifetime's worth of introspection and therapy was crammed into her head, and she hadn't quite sorted it all out yet.</p><p>Reality started to settle in for Buffy, her mind raced with the endless issues with trying to remain friends with the new couple. "I understand if you don't want that." With that statement, Buffy fell to her knees. She was certain she'd just lost everything. As happy as she was for Tara and Faith, the thought that she'd lose her chance to be close to both of them was devastating.</p><p>She was surprised by Faith's arms being wrapped around her. "Of course, I want you in my life. I really think you should come back to Tara's room with me."</p><p>Buffy shifted, trying to pull out of Faith's arms but not having the energy to manage it. "No. I just need some time. We can talk more tomorrow."</p><p>Faith held Buffy close and grappled with what to say to fix this situation, "you're suffering right now, and I don't think you need to be."</p><p>Buffy again tried to free herself from Faith's arms, but Faith held her tight.</p><p>"Stop, just listen. Please." Faith desperately wished she knew what the right thing to say was.</p><p>Buffy stopped trying to fight but was taking deep gasping breaths. Faith was rubbing circles on her back, which were comforting and confusing at the same time.</p><p>"I remember Tara now. I remember talking to her." Faith pulled back so she could see Buffy's face. She swept her fingers through Buffy's hair. Buffy held her eyes tightly shut and focused on trying to calm her breathing. "We talked about a lot of things, mostly we talked about you. Especially in the beginning."</p><p>Buffy's breathing started to calm slightly as she focused on Faith's words.</p><p>"She helped me realize some things." Faith sighed, wishing she were better with words. Wishing she could have convinced Buffy to go back and let Tara explain all this. "Look, I suck at talking. I've never been good at explaining how I feel about things. Hell, until now, I could never even admit that I even had feelings."</p><p>Buffy opened her eyes finally, her face was scrunched in confusion. After the way Buffy was acting, Faith decided she just had to go for it. Things couldn't possibly be any worse for Buffy then they were right now.</p><p>"Fuck it. If I'm outta line here, you can just kick my ass or whatever you think you need to." With that, Faith leaned forward and pressed her lips to Buffy's.</p><p>Buffy was shocked, but her body responded instantly. Unable to control herself, she melted into a kiss she never imagined would really happen.</p><p>"Wow… so… now things make a lot more sense." Faith said once they broke the kiss.</p><p>"Huh?" Buffy asked - she was pretty sure nothing was making any kind of sense at the moment.</p><p>"I've never done that before."</p><p>"Kissed a girl?"</p><p>"Well, yeah… that. But more kissing someone I actually…" Faith hesitated, "having feelings for."</p><p>That comment seemed to get Buffy's attention, and she started to freak out - flailing her body and trying to break free from Faith once again. "Oh, no! Tara."</p><p>Faith grinned and wouldn't let the squirming Buffy get out of her grip. "I'm pretty sure Tara is going to be OK with it."</p><p>"What are you talking about? How could she be OK with it?"</p><p>"Come back to her room. Please?" Faith was running out of ideas on how to salvage this situation. All she knew was that she needed to get Buffy back to Tara so that they could work this out.</p><p>"I just need some time. I can talk to you both tomorrow." Buffy again tried to pull away, but Faith still wouldn't let her.</p><p>"Listen. If you come back with me now, you'll either feel just as shitty as you do now or a whole lot better. So you should come with me."</p><p>Buffy was tired and confused. That kiss with Faith had been better than she had imagined. It seemed like Tara and Faith had some sort of plan, and maybe that plan would remove the empty ache in her chest. So she agreed and walked with Faith back to Tara's room. She didn't even realize they were holding hands until they got to the door.</p><p>Tara jumped up as soon as she heard the slayers returning. She wiped her tears away and hugged Buffy tightly. "Thank you for coming back."</p><p>"I just want you to know that I really am OK with this. I think you two will be great together, much better than you and I could ever be."</p><p>"What? What does that mean? You aren't happy with me?" Tara wasn't surprised that Buffy was saying these things, but she couldn't totally suppress her hurt at the thought that Buffy hadn't been happy with her.</p><p>"No, that's not what I meant. Just… she'll be more… I don't know… comfortable with everything. You won't have to constantly be trying to get her to relax. I know how annoying it is that I'm always so wrapped up in what everyone else thinks." Buffy smiled and rubbed her thumb on Tara's cheek, wiping away fresh tears.</p><p>"You don't think I care what people think?" Faith asked, and Buffy turned to her, stepping away from Tara.</p><p>"I don't at all mean it as a bad thing. It's the same thing you always said to me - about how I need to 'find the fun.'"</p><p>"You were just so uptight, I thought you'd be happier if you relaxed a little." Faith frowned as she remembered how hard she had tried to seem cool to the older slayer when they first met.</p><p>"I believe you didn't mean anything by it, we were just kids. I was and still am uptight. So it's not like you weren't right." It had taken Buffy a long time to come to terms with her reactions to Faith when they first met. Now that she had, she really wished she could have been more receptive to Faith's ideas.</p><p>Faith didn't feel right, she felt like an asshole. The one time Buffy had finally cut loose with her, and she'd gotten them arrested.</p><p>Tara pulled Buffy back towards her. "Buffy, I love you completely. Nothing about you is annoying. Yes, I try to encourage you to see that not everything is your fault, but it wasn't because I wanted to change you or because you're annoying - I just hoped to give you some relief from the weight you carry around."</p><p>"I appreciate that. I really do. You've helped me a lot, I see things much more clearly. I understand myself much better than I ever did before."</p><p>Tara was relieved for a moment, and then Buffy started to pull away. "Wait, where are you going?" Tara tried to hold on to Buffy's hand, but the slayer's fingers slipped out of her grasp.</p><p>"To give you two time alone. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about. You can take her to my mother's to get her stuff tomorrow. Just let me know if there's anything I can help with." Buffy's response was completely logical, and she was sure that was the end of her torment for this evening - so she made her way to the door.</p><p>Faith blocked Buffy's exit, and Tara tugged her back into the center of the room. "You don't have to leave."</p><p>Buffy frowned, but let herself be pulled closer to Tara. She was exhausted and really just wanted this night to be over.</p><p>"Please, Buffy… let me try to explain?"</p><p>"You don't have to explain anything. I get it, and it's OK." Buffy smiled reassuringly - she really did believe what she was saying. She cared very deeply for both women and just wanted them to be happy.</p><p>"I'm pretty sure you don't get it." Tara sighed and reached for Buffy's hands. She really regretted her lack of self-control and poor planning. Faith wasn't supposed to wake up the way that she did. Tara thought she had more time to lay the groundwork for what she was proposing. It didn't matter now, she had to move forward. There was no way she was letting Buffy leave thinking that Tara didn't love her. "Do you remember a few weeks ago when I asked you if it was possible to love two people at once?"</p><p>Buffy frowned and looked up at Tara and then over at Faith. "What? You want to date both of us? That's why you were asking?"</p><p>Tara nodded and lightly squeezed Buffy's hands. "But you didn't really answer me."</p><p>Buffy's brow furrowed as she remembered their conversation and tried to figure out how she felt about it now. At the time, she hadn't really thought about it - she just brushed it aside as being ridiculous. But now - she was being forced to actually consider the the prospect.</p><p>Briefly, she was excited about the idea, but the more she thought about it, the more problems she saw. Always worrying about getting in the way of their time together. Plus, there was a good chance that slaying would bring the three of them together. It would be far too awkward and impractical. "No, I don't think I could handle that. This way will be better. You two together, and hopefully, we can all still be friends." She nodded her head, resolute in her decision.</p><p>"There's no way I'm breaking you two up." Faith crossed her arms over her chest, "do you really think I would do that?"</p><p>"Faith, you're not breaking us up. It's not like that."</p><p>"It sounds exactly like that. If you're not going to be with her, then neither am I." Faith was surprised by her own reaction to this situation. That little voice in her head that was telling her to go for the hurt was still there. But she had to reach for it. It had no power over her now. There was no cutting comment on the tip of her tongue that she knew would send Buffy either into a rage or out of the room, unable to ever stop crying.</p><p>For the first time in Faith's entire life - she wanted something good. And not just something good for herself - something good for everyone involved.</p><p>"But… you could be great together. You shouldn't let me screw this up for you."</p><p>Faith chuckled and dropped her defensive posture, "you really are something else."</p><p>Buffy frowned, "I'm trying to do the right thing here!" Buffy was bordering on exhaustion. It crossed her mind to attempt to jump out the window, just to put an end to this conversation.</p><p>"This isn't about doing the right thing, it's about doing the thing that will make everyone happy." Faith countered.</p><p>"But…" Buffy blubbered.</p><p>"T - ask me what you asked B." Faith grinned and moved closer to Buffy.</p><p>Tara smiled as she guessed what Faith's plan was. "Do you think it's possible to love two people at the same time? To love them both completely and equally - to feel like both of them are your entire world, and you can't imagine a moment of your life without both of them?"</p><p>Faith chuckled and looked at Tara over Buffy's shoulder, "Is that really what you asked?" Tara winked at her, "laying it on a little thick?"</p><p>"Well, I wanted to be sure she got it," Tara replied, and Buffy was positive she wasn't even close to understanding what she was supposed to be getting.</p><p>"Fair enough." Faith turned back towards Buffy, "before today - before I remembered all the time with Tara - I would have said love was pointless, it could only be used to hurt. Love was only ever used as a weapon against me, to hurt or control me. But now - as I stand here with you two, I see why people crave it so much. I see the good things that it can mean. So now - right now - I can say yes to Tara's question."</p><p>Buffy still didn't understand, "I don't…"</p><p>Faith sighed, "well… we tried it your way… time to try my way again." Faith wiggled her eyebrows at Tara, who chuckled and nodded her agreement.</p><p>Buffy was too confused to fight Faith as she guided Buffy towards Tara. Faith continued to maneuver Buffy until she was pressed into Tara and Faith was pressed into her. Then Faith leaned in and kissed her, she moved back slightly to let Tara kiss Buffy and then she and Tara kissed.</p><p>"Oh." Buffy squeaked out as she watched Faith and Tara kissing. Their kiss was intense, and Buffy was more confused than she thought it was possible to be. There were a lot of things she should be feeling watching the two women kiss, and none of those things was to be turned on.</p><p>It had taken until this moment for Buffy to finally realize why Faith and her betrayal had weighed on her so heavily. Even though Faith had kissed her earlier - which she definitely enjoyed - she still didn't grasp how much Faith meant to her until now.</p><p>As she watched them kiss, she realized that Tara had known Buffy's true feelings and orchestrated this reunion for her benefit. It may not have worked out quite the way Tara had imagined it. But as she watched Tara pour emotion into the kiss with Faith, something clicked for her. It was still more than a lot to deal with. Buffy's mind raced for a way to simplify and normalize what she was feeling. She bit her lip and resisted her strong desire to join in. She wasn't quite ready for this. Whatever this was.</p><p>In her mind, she was still the high school cheerleader. The popular girl with all the friends. The type of girl whose future was dependent on the man she married. A man who would take care of her and provide her with a perfect house with a white picket fence.</p><p>That was what she was supposed to want. And there was certainly nothing wrong with wanting that, but she wasn't sure she actually did.</p><p>That imagined future that she had somehow never let go of was finally cracking apart. That future had never fit with her slayer reality. It had never even fit with what she had ever actually wanted. She watched Faith and Tara kiss, locked in an embrace between them. Both of their bodies pressed to hers, and she had never felt more right in her entire life.</p><p>That didn't mean she was ready to accept this. Her mind still rebelled and craved normalcy. Even though anything resembling normalcy had never worked out for her.</p><p>"Damn, T." Faith said once they broke apart. Faith had firmly believed her whole life that kissing was just a means to an end. Now she was starting to realize it could be a whole lot more than that.</p><p>"If that was the only kiss I was going to get, I wanted it to be a good one." Tara grinned, and Faith chuckled before returning her attention to Buffy. She placed a soft kiss on Buffy's lips, hoping with all of her being that Buffy would be able to understand and accept what was happening.</p><p>"B. I loved you from the moment I saw you. I just didn't have a clue what to do with it. Especially since I was a total fucking mess and you were… ya know... You. But now I get it. Now I'm not afraid of it. It's up to you. Either we're all in this together, or we're friends. I'm not going to lose my mind either way. I'm going to let you help me deal with the council and whoever. I'm going to do whatever I need to do to be worthy of you both."</p><p>Faith watched Buffy's eyes and held her breath. This moment was somehow the scariest moment she had ever been part of. She had never laid herself open like this. Even though she was confident of Tara and their shared experiences - she also knew that if Buffy resisted - it wouldn't matter what she and Tara shared.</p><p>It was disconcerting that Buffy wasn't saying anything. Still, it was comforting that she was at least thinking about what Faith and Tara were suggesting. She hadn't even been punched in the face, which is definitely the reaction she had been expecting.</p><p>Faith's mind began to race as she realized how absurd this all was. It didn't matter how she felt or that she'd changed. It didn't matter that there was always something between the slayers that Buffy had never seen, or been willing to see.</p><p>The only thing that mattered right now was that Faith was a murderer. Faith hadn't just slipped over to the side of evil. She dove all the way in and rolled around in it. She was tainted now, and nothing she could do or say could change that.</p><p>"Faith." Tara's voice was soft and warm. It cut right through her downward spiral and brought her back into the moment.</p><p>And even though Faith objectively knew that she didn't deserve the love and support of either Tara or Buffy. She knew that she had it at least from Tara. The fact that Buffy was still standing in her arms told her she most likely at least had Buffy's support too.</p><p>She had no idea how long it had taken in real-world time. But it felt like Tara had spent countless hours with Faith, doing her best to convince Faith that she wasn't just a collection of terrible decisions. Faith had always known that she wasn't evil - not really. The only reason she had sided with the Mayor was because he accepted her. He smiled at her and made her feel like someone cared about her for the first time in her life. But she had never reveled in what he made her do.</p><p>Not like she did when she slayed something evil. Even before she met Buffy, she knew slaying evil things was what she was meant for.</p><p>She could choose to be more than how her mistakes defined her. There were definitely obstacles to this choice. There were likely to be repercussions from her previous evil actions - but she knew that she could handle them. She took a deep calming breath and then nodded at Tara. Letting her know that she was OK.</p><p>After several agonizing moments of non-reaction from Buffy, Faith released her arms, which were holding the three of them together and let Buffy move away. Buffy took the opportunity to cross the room and stare out the window as she tried to piece together her thoughts.</p><p>"So either we're… a triad… or just friends?" Buffy asked, not even sure if that was the right word.</p><p>Nobody answered her, but that was OK. She got it, she would never stand between Faith or Tara and happiness and neither would either of them. Tara considered correcting the term. She felt that thruple was the more appropriate word to use, but didn't want to do anything to interrupt Buffy's train of thought.</p><p>"And you two are both already on board with this idea?" She saw their nervousness and guessed at the reason. "You already talked about it, when Faith was in the coma." That hurt her a little, knowing that they were talking and plotting behind her back.</p><p>"I know it's unfair that we've had more time with this. Once I realized how you felt about each other… and once I knew how I felt… I don't think it could be any other way. We completely understand if this is too much. Or if you need more time..." Tara trailed off, she wasn't sure if Buffy was even listening to her.</p><p>She had never been more tempted to reach into Buffy's mind. She firmly believed that if Buffy would let herself get past her worries - the three of them could be extremely happy together.</p><p>"How would this even work? What will everyone say?" Buffy frowned as she imagined having this conversation with her mother. Introducing her to Tara had her stomach tied in knots for weeks, and her mother had barely even blinked at the revelation. There had been some unpleasant moments with Giles, but this was so much more than just Tara. Not only was it a triad, but it was Faith. Someone they had spent a lot of time fearing and hating. Someone who had committed evil acts. Someone who maybe even belonged in jail.</p><p>Buffy shuddered at the idea of Faith in jail. Despite what she had done, Buffy knew Faith didn't belong there. And maybe more than some of the reason was that Buffy wanted Faith near her. But there were definitely logical and very convincing reasons why Faith shouldn't be sent to jail. Reasons she would need to work out before talking to Giles.</p><p>"We can ease into this… wait until Faith is clear of danger before telling everyone." Tara offered, taking a guess at what Buffy might be worrying about.</p><p>"No. If this is going to happen, I don't want to hide. Secrets never work out."</p><p>Faith was suddenly nervous, "hey wait. Don't I get a say?"</p><p>"I thought you already agreed to this relationship?"</p><p>"Not that part… but telling people. Look… I've never even had a relationship… never mind whatever this is going to be. Everyone still thinks I'm evil - they're going to think I'm doing something to break you two up. It might be better to make sure this is even going to work before we bring other people into it." Faith sighed and ran her fingers through her hair.</p><p>Buffy didn't like the idea of hiding her relationship, but she understood Faith's position. "OK, that's fair."</p><p>"Does that mean you're agreeing?" Tara asked, hopefully, taking a step towards Buffy.</p><p>"I… still don't know."</p><p>"What are you worried about?"</p><p>Buffy laughed, "I'm worried about everything."</p><p>Tara smiled, "is any of what you're worried about anything to do with us?"</p><p>Buffy turned her attention to Faith. "An hour ago, I was sure you hated me. You were planning on hurting me - how did that change into… this?"</p><p>"That was before I remembered Tara, that was before she showed me I could be something else." Faith wasn't sure if that was a good enough explanation, but that was all that she had.</p><p>"Just like that?"</p><p>Faith thought for a moment, "I know it's hard to understand - but it's like… It's like I had a lifetime of therapy while I was asleep. So many things I didn't understand about myself - now I do. I never really wanted to hurt you - or anyone else. I just..." Faith held her breath for a moment. "Now I'm not afraid of letting people in. I trust Tara, and I trust you."</p><p>"You didn't trust me before?" Buffy knew the answer to the question before she asked it. And even though she knew she had never done anything to earn Faith's trust, she couldn't completely repress her hurt at Faith's answer.</p><p>"I didn't trust anyone before."</p><p>Buffy still didn't know what to make of all this. "We should go patrol."</p><p>"All of us? You let Tara patrol with you?" Faith had expected that Buffy would be wildly overprotective of Tara and never willfully put her in danger.</p><p>"I don't exactly <em>let</em> her do anything, but she can take care of herself." Buffy shrugged while digging around under Tara's bed and pulling out a few stakes. Buffy froze for a moment, silently berating herself for almost leaving Tara alone with Faith without warning her of the danger Tara was in. "Shit." Buffy hissed to herself.</p><p>"What's wrong?" Tara asked, seeing Buffy's distress and wondering what had gone wrong all of a sudden.</p><p>"Riley," Buffy said with a growl, and Tara relaxed as she understood what Buffy was worried about. "Faith - no matter what happens with the three of us - promise me that you will keep Tara safe."</p><p>"Of course, B." Faith answered instantly, Tara had made some mention of Riley but didn't specify what kind of danger he might be.</p><p>An idea occurred to Buffy, a new angle to help convince them of the logical choice. "Hopefully.. if I.."</p><p>"No!" Tara took a step towards Buffy, guessing at her next words. "Do not let him be the reason that you don't want this relationship. We can handle him and whatever he throws at us."</p><p>"But maybe he'll back off if..." It seemed so clear to Buffy. If she were out of the picture, then Riley would have no reason to try to hurt Tara.</p><p>"No!" Tara shouted again, and Buffy took a step back, never seeing Tara react so strongly. "I will not let that neanderthal be the reason for any decisions in our lives."</p><p>Buffy sucked in a breath and very barely resisted arguing the point further. "Fine. As long as you can deal with knowing that one of us will always be with you - no matter what our relationship status is."</p><p>Tara chuckled, "I'm quite sure I can handle that."</p><p>Buffy rolled her eyes but couldn't help but grin, knowing what Tara was thinking.</p><p>"Wanna clue me in?" Faith was confused by their interaction, but she definitely wanted to be ready to deal with whatever this Riley person might have planned.</p><p>"We don't know for sure, but it seems like someone is after Tara. There are a lot of random demon attacks near or in this building."</p><p>"And you think your ex-boyfriend is the cause of these attacks?" Faith couldn't help but try to rile Buffy up. She no longer had any intent to hurt Buffy or anyone else, but she still liked to have a little bit of harmless fun.</p><p>"He was never my boyfriend!" Buffy argued and took a step towards Faith, but stopped as she saw the bratty smirk on the other slayer. "Which you already knew."</p><p>"Maybe." Faith grinned, and Buffy rolled her eyes.</p><p>"Alright - let's go patrol," Buffy said as she tossed a stake towards Faith and moved to the door.</p><p>Tara took a deep breath and followed the slayers out into the night. She was more than a little disappointed in herself and her impatience. Her original plan involved slowly giving Buffy the chance to realize how she felt. At the same time, helping Faith understand who she was and to see that she had people who would love and accept her.</p><p>Instead, Tara jumped all the way in. Bypassing all her carefully thought out plans at the first sight of Faith in her room. The first indication that Faith remembered all the conversations they shared and Tara had completely lost sight of her plan.</p><p>Still - there was hope. Buffy was confused and upset - but she wasn't running away. She hadn't completely dismissed the idea of this relationship. Tara held on to that idea and prayed to every deity she could imagine that this would work out as well as she'd hoped.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Faith had thought they would talk more while they wandered around looking for demons to kill, but it had been a few minutes, and so far, no one was saying anything. Deciding to break the silence, she asked something that she'd wanted to know for a while.</p>
<p>"You've got to tell me how you two hooked up." Tara hadn't shared much detail of her relationship with Buffy, no matter how many times Faith had asked about it. Now seemed like as good a time as any to learn the story of how they had met. She wanted to ask about Angel too, but not yet. She wanted to try and focus on what she hoped would be good things.</p>
<p>Buffy groaned.</p>
<p>"What? It's not a good story? Did something bad happen?"</p>
<p>"No, just more of me being ridiculous." Buffy scowled and started to wonder why she was even contemplating this. It seemed so much more logical to her for Tara and Faith to leave her out of it, but at the same time, she couldn't deny that part of her was intrigued by the idea.</p>
<p>Tara sighed, "Buffy…"</p>
<p>"It's fine, tell her what happened, I'm going to beat up on those two vampires."</p>
<p>"I screwed this all up." Tara whispered, "I should have given her more time… I just..." Tara sighed, frustrated with herself and her lack of control.</p>
<p>"I'm the one who screwed everything up. I should just get out of you guys' way." Faith frowned and looked down at her feet as she made the suggestion. The idea of leaving Sunnydale and never seeing Buffy or Tara again was agonizing. At the same time, she couldn't stand the idea that she was hurting either of them by staying. She had said she could handle them all just being friends, but the idea that she was preventing Tara and Buffy from loving each other made her sick.</p>
<p>"Don't you dare!" Buffy called out and then launched an attack at the nearest vampire.</p>
<p>"I think the only way for any of us now is forward." Tara smiled and squeezed Faith's hand, tugging her closer and hoping to calm Faith of her fears.</p>
<p>She could easily see and interpret Faith's feelings. Faith's aura was far easier for her to read than Buffy's, but that was primarily because she had so thoroughly invaded Faith's mind.</p>
<p>Faith and Tara watched Buffy in silence for a few minutes. She was an impressive sight as she let out her torrent of emotions on the vampires.</p>
<p>It was clear that Buffy was playing with the newbie vamp, and wasn't planning on staking him any time soon.</p>
<p>"After they dealt with the Mayor… Angel left for LA." Tara answered after a few moments of silence. "She knew it was the right thing to do, but it still hurt her. She thinks it's her fault that they couldn't be together."</p>
<p>"How could she think that?" Faith struggled with thinking about Angel. The vampire had been one of the few people who tried to help her, but he was also a big part of why there was always so much distrust between the two slayers.</p>
<p>"She thinks everything is her fault."</p>
<hr/>
<p>Faith listened intently to the story Tara told. Buffy chimed in periodically to add her side of things. Once the story was complete, she wasn't sure she'd be able to resist doing some serious damage to Riley. And if it turned out that Riley was sending demons after Tara - she wasn't sure she wanted to resist.</p>
<p>Shaking thoughts of Riley away - she decided to lighten things up and hopefully get everyone in the right mood to head back to Tara's dorm room.</p>
<p>"So, B… does Tara know about my post-slaying theory?"</p>
<p>Buffy huffed and shook her head.</p>
<p>"What's this theory?" Tara asked, noting Buffy's discomfort but not having any idea how a theory of Faith's could make her so uncomfortable.</p>
<p>"Well, see… when I first met B - I mentioned how slaying makes you hungry and horny. She only admitted to craving non-fat yogurt after." Faith grinned at Tara's reaction.</p>
<p>"Oh my god!" Then Tara laughed, "how did I never put that together?!"</p>
<p>"What are you talking about… there's never been anything to put together." Buffy snapped at Tara, and the shocked expression on Tara's face told Faith that Buffy had never done anything like that before.</p>
<p>Faith lost her smirk as she realized Buffy was still too wrapped up in herself to enjoy anything or to even admit she could enjoy things. "You haven't changed at all."</p>
<p>"No, I haven't. And I don't see why I should!" Buffy snapped again and crossed her arms over her chest.</p>
<p>"You should because it's pointless to be so tightly wound. You're just making yourself miserable." Faith countered and moved closer to Buffy.</p>
<p>"What do you know about it!? We can't all go around doing whatever and whoever we want!" Buffy is screaming at Faith now.</p>
<p>Tara continues to be shocked by Buffy's furious reaction to this situation. She had never seen Buffy react this way to anything. Though she also had never seen anyone try to push Buffy the way that Faith was.</p>
<p>The slayers were now within striking distance of each other. Tara wasn't sure what to do. Buffy was verging on losing control, but Faith was eerily calm. Even in her aggressive moves, Tara could tell she had no intention of hurting Buffy. She opted to stay out of the way and hope that Faith knew what she was doing.</p>
<p>"Are you seriously asking what I know about it? Come on, B. I know you're smarter than this."</p>
<p>"Just shut up. Leave me alone. You don't know anything about anything." Buffy turned to storm off, but Faith grabbed her and spun her around.</p>
<p>"I know exactly what you're thinking." Buffy squirmed and tried to shove Faith away, but Faith wouldn't let her go. "You're thinking that the only times that you truly let yourself have any fun - awful shit happened. So that means you can't ever let yourself go again."</p>
<p>Buffy's attempts to fight out of Faith's grip weakened. "You don't know what you're talking about." Buffy's voice was lame even to her ears.</p>
<p>"I do know, B. I was there for one of them, and I heard all about the first time."</p>
<p>Buffy was still now, breathing heavily and leaning heavily against Faith.</p>
<p>"I get it. I really do. But the thing you're missing in all this - is that terrible shit happens all the time. You pretending like you don't want things isn't stopping any of that. It's just making you unhappy."</p>
<p>Buffy dropped her chin to her chest, and Faith gently raised it.</p>
<p>"It's no different than when I pretended like I didn't care about anything. Pushing people away and making myself miserable didn't make anything better."</p>
<p>Tara moved closer to the pair, seeing now that there was no more danger of physical violence. "You have two people who love you completely and just want you to be happy. You don't have to do everything alone."</p>
<p>Not alone.</p>
<p>The thought echoed in Buffy's and Faith's minds. The slayer was expected to be alone. That was the calling. The slayer was one girl in all the world. She was meant to live without friends or love or any companionship beyond the watcher that trained them.</p>
<p>Buffy never really adhered to their vision of what a slayer should be. But she did still struggle with the alone part. She kept friends, family, and even Tara at a distance. Maybe now that Faith was here, she could truly share all of herself with them.</p>
<p>As Buffy let the idea percolate in her mind, a feeling of rightness washed over her. There were certain to be issues with this decision, but she decided that she didn't care. It was time to try and let herself be happy. To fully let Tara and Faith in. Between the three of them - there wasn't anything that could stand in their way.</p>
<p>Buffy looked up at Faith and Tara, "there are going to have to be some rules."</p>
<p>"Rules?" Faith didn't really like the sound of that, but she was excited to think that Buffy was giving in to her desires.</p>
<p>"Nothing too crazy. The main thing has to be that if anyone is feeling excluded - they have to speak up. We have different schedules, it's not going to be possible to all be together all the time. So we have to talk and make sure no one is feeling left out of anything."</p>
<p>"That's a good rule." Tara smiled and gently caressed Buffy's cheek while holding Faith's hand. "Anything else?"</p>
<p>"Mostly just things for myself." Buffy wondered if she could really do this - if she could really let herself go. The hopeful look on both Tara and Faith's face helped her decide that she had to try.</p>
<p>Faith stiffened, "I'll get this one." Faith launched an attack at the vampire casually approaching.</p>
<p>"Hey, watch it!" Spike backed off a step when seeing the angry slayer stalk towards him.</p>
<p>"Faith, No!"</p>
<p>Faith instantly froze at hearing Buffy's cry. Her fist was still raised - she was sure this was a vampire she was facing. Buffy reached for her clenched fist and brought it down.</p>
<p>"What the hell, B? You're not going to let me get any action tonight?" Faith winked, and Buffy laughed.</p>
<p>"We'll just have to see about what kind of action you get tonight," Buffy smirked, more than a little surprised at her own behavior. She was also surprised at how good it felt.</p>
<p>Faith immediately lost interest in the vampire and turned to face Buffy. She growled low as she moved closer. She thought about continuing the flirty banter, but she wasn't sure how much Buffy could take, deciding instead to just go for it. She drew Buffy tight to her body and pulled her into a crushing kiss. Both slayers were in complete heaven at how good it felt.</p>
<p>"Um… did I miss a memo?" Spike moved closer to Tara, none of the three women were paying any attention to him. Spike snapped his fingers in front of Tara, hoping she was the least distracted, it took a few tries before she was able to tear her eyes away from the slayers.</p>
<p>Tara grunted in annoyance at being disrupted, "what?"</p>
<p>"I thought you and Buffy… and isn't that Faith? The supposedly evil slayer?" His words were pointless, nobody was listening.</p>
<p>At the sound of Tara's voice, the slayers stopped kissing and turned to face her. Tara gasped at the look on their faces. They were still holding each other, their foreheads pressed together, both sets of eyes focused on Tara. As one, they moved to her and added her into their embrace.</p>
<p>Tara gasped and closed her eyes, wondering what she was getting herself into. As the slayers wrapped around her, she knew for sure that she had done the right thing.</p>
<p>"Spike - you'll finish patrol, right?" Buffy called out and started directing Tara and Faith back towards the dorms. Spike had learned that although he couldn't even think about hurting a human - he could hurt demons. He would occasionally tag along on patrol, he told himself that it was mostly because he wanted to be there when some demon finally managed to take either the slayer or the witch out.</p>
<p>"I will not!" Spike called out but, no one was paying any attention to him.</p>
<p>The three women eventually made their way into Tara's dorm room. Once they entered Tara's dorm room, there was a moment of tension.</p>
<p>Faith was the most nervous of this situation for a variety of reasons. Buffy smiled and took her hand. "I think we should show Tara our appreciation for waking you up." Buffy grinned, and Faith started to relax.</p>
<p>Tara found herself surrounded by the two slayers. Buffy was behind her, placing soft kisses on her neck while Faith was in front of her kissing her passionately.</p>
<p>Tara was completely lost and overloaded by what they were doing to her. Only when she felt someone attempting to remove her shirt did she remember what she knew needed to happen before they went any further.</p>
<p>It took all her willpower to still the hands on her shirt and pull out of Faith's kiss. "Wait."</p>
<p>Both slayers stopped their attentions, but they did not move away. Faith was looking very nervous and concerned. "Did I..."</p>
<p>Tara smiled and gently kissed her. "Neither of you were doing anything wrong. There's just something we need to do first."</p>
<p>Faith nodded in understanding and backed away. Tara turned to face Buffy, taking her hands and sitting down on the bed with her.</p>
<p>"What do we need to do?" Buffy asked, trying not to let it bother her that Faith obviously knew whatever this thing was.</p>
<p>Tara smiled and squeezed her hands. "Before we go any further with this. We want to share with you everything that Faith and I talked about while she was in the coma."</p>
<p>Buffy was shocked by this offering. "You would want that? Really?"</p>
<p>Faith sat down next to Buffy, "without a doubt, B. I need to share everything with you."</p>
<p>"But... are you sure?" Buffy didn't know how to feel about this. She had thought they could just move past what had happened. She wasn't sure she wanted to relive it and be reminded of all the things she had done wrong.</p>
<p>"I'm sure," Faith forced Buffy to look at her. "You need to see that you have nothing to feel guilty about. You aren't responsible for what I did. Those were all choices I made."</p>
<p>"But if you knew... If you knew that I was on your side..." Buffy was really not enjoying dredging up these awful feelings again.</p>
<p>Faith sighed and rolled her neck, taking a moment to center herself. "Please, B. I need you to do this for me. I need you to see."</p>
<p>There was obviously no way Buffy could deny that request, so she nodded. "How will this work?"</p>
<p>Tara had already begun collecting the magic supplies needed for the ritual. She lit several candles and placed crystals around the bed. "It's a little hard to explain exactly how this will work. I'll be there to guide you two through whatever Faith needs you to see."</p>
<p>"Will I be able to share too?" Buffy asked, suddenly seeing the appeal of this process.</p>
<p>Tara smiled, "of course."</p>
<p>"What about you? Do you have things you want us to see?" Faith asked. Tara had shared some of her history with Faith, but she was sure that there was more to know.</p>
<p>Tara faltered for a moment as she thought of the request. "You would want that?"</p>
<p>"Yes," Both slayers said at once and stood to wrap Tara in a hug.</p>
<p>"OK...I probably have some things I would like to share." Tara stuttered slightly and frowned in annoyance with herself.</p>
<p>"Hey - none of that," Buffy said and kissed her gently. "This is a good thing that we're doing, right?"</p>
<p>Tara pushed out a breath before answering. "Yes - I think it will be a very good thing." She hesitated for another moment. "I should warn you - what we are about to do will sort of bind us together. It's more than just simple memory sharing. We'll be sharing our essences along with the memories."</p>
<p>"So, what will that mean? We'll gain some witchiness from you, and you'll gain some slayerness from us?" Buffy asked, not at all concerned about this development.</p>
<p>"Yes, something like that." Tara nodded. "I can't say exactly what will happen since this has obviously never been done with two slayers involved before."</p>
<p>"I'm not worried." Faith said instantly, "are you worried, B?"</p>
<p>"Not at all."</p>
<p>Tara chuckled at there obvious unwavering confidence in her. She desperately hoped she could live up to their image of her.</p>
<p>Tara was released from the embrace and returned to the task of setting up the room for the spell. As she methodically placed each candle and crystal, she thought about what would happen next. It was hard to not be a little nervous about how each of them was going to react to this bonding session. She knew that it had to be done, though. It was obvious that Buffy still had a lot of guilt and uncertainty to let go of. If this relationship was going to work - none of them could be wondering whether or not they were really wanted.</p>
<p>She took maybe a little bit longer than necessary to make sure the magic circle was perfect. Taking the time to think about what she wanted to share. She had told both of them the same stories about her family. Faith had a better understanding of how it affected her. This was partly because it was impossible not to share her feelings when they spoke through the spell. Mostly though, it was because Faith could relate to growing up in an abusive household.</p>
<p>Once the room was properly set up, Tara turned back to the slayers. They were sitting on the bed and watching her closely. They were leaning against each other, with their hands clasped tightly. The nervousness from both of them was pouring out of them and causing their auras to swirl brightly and chaotically around them.</p>
<p>"Tara?" Buffy questioned, Tara had been staring intently at them for over a minute.</p>
<p>"I'm OK." Tara smiled and placed several pillows on the floor inside the magic circle. "Please enter the circle."</p>
<p>The slayers instantly obeyed, moving into the circle and dropping cross-legged onto the pillows.</p>
<p>Tara mimicked their position and held out her hands. Once their hands were joined, all of their auras coalesced into a uniform and calm swirl. The energy ebbed and flowed within the circle and filled Tara with confidence.</p>
<p>Each slayer was able to feel the energy swirling around them. It wasn't visible to them, but they knew it was there. Buffy experimented briefly with drawing the energy into herself. It filled her with a buzzing warmth. Then she tested pushing energy out to Faith and Tara through their joined hands.</p>
<p>"Woah - what is that?" Faith asked as warmth spread through her.</p>
<p>Tara smiled, she was impressed but not at all surprised that Buffy so quickly felt the energy surrounding them and figured out how to share it. "Once this spell is complete, with a little practice, it should be possible to pull energy from the magic surrounding you all of the time."</p>
<p>Faith nodded and smiled when she felt the energy flowing through her and out to Tara and Buffy. "Wicked." She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to remain calm. She'd never felt so powerful in all of her life. Holding her breath, she tried to imagine what she could do with this power. She could go anywhere and do anything. No one would be able to stop her.</p>
<p>Faith almost laughed in relief as she realized there wasn't anything she would rather be doing than sitting here with Buffy and Tara.</p>
<p>Tara watched Faith carefully and had a very good idea of what Faith was thinking about. She hoped it wouldn't take much longer before Faith was able to stop doubting herself. When Faith finally opened her eyes and nodded at Tara, she knew it was time to begin.</p>
<p>"Ready?" Tara asked, and began preparing the spell in her mind.</p>
<p>The slayers shared a quick glance before turning back to Tara. "Ready."</p>
<p>Tara completed the incantation out loud, there was a blast of light erupting from the center of the circle, and the three women were knocked unconscious - dropping to the pillows while maintaining contact through their joined hands.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Buffy awoke first, opening her eyes, and surveying the scene. It took her a moment to remember what was happening. In that small amount of time, both Tara and Faith began to stir. Buffy watched them and sorted through everything she had just experienced.</p>
<p>Tara had told Buffy stories of her childhood. Her abusive father and brother. The expectations that she would return home at twenty to be a slave for them. But those weren't the stories that Tara shared this time. Tara focused on positive memories. Time spent with her mother practicing magic. She also focused on how happy she was spending time with both Buffy and Faith.</p>
<p>Buffy had believed that Tara loved her, but know she knew what Tara really felt. That small bit of doubt that Tara didn't really want to be with her melted away. Along with the much bigger doubt that Tara loved both Buffy and Faith equally and couldn't bear the thought of being without both of them in her heart.</p>
<p>Buffy had guessed that Faith's home life was not the best. But Faith had never shared anything about her past. The majority of Faith's life - she was alone and unloved. Any love that she did experience was the wrong kind. It was love that was given only to be taken away without reason. Or the kind of love that was only in trade. Everyone that had claimed to love Faith, only did it to get something from her.</p>
<p>Guilt. She knew she had to let go of it. Faith needed to know that Buffy loved her not out of pity, not out of guilt - but just because she did. Just because Faith filled her heart. Hopefully, Faith would understand that once she woke up.</p>
<p>Eventually, all three women were awake and sitting upright in the circle. After a few moments of regaining her sense of self - Tara began to dismantle the circle.</p>
<p>"You saved her." Buffy finally broke the silence, moving closer to Faith. She didn't have to ask why they kept this information from her. She already knew and understood why. If they had told her then - this would not be happening now. She wouldn't have been able to accept or understand why Tara needed to help Faith.</p>
<p>But now she understood, and she really wanted to show Faith some gratitude for her actions.</p>
<p>"It wasn't a big deal." Faith mumbled, still a little disoriented. She hadn't been entirely prepared for what Buffy had shown her. Even with Tara, she had believed that a large part of why they wanted her was simply based on physical attraction. She hadn't expected either of them to care for her beyond that. Physical attraction was certainly part of it, but what both Tara and Buffy wanted more than anything else - was to make Faith feel loved and wanted. They didn't expect anything in return.</p>
<p>Buffy shook her head and climbed into Faith's lap. "It was a huge deal. You did that before you knew what was going on. You saved her when you still thought that I wanted to hurt you."</p>
<p>"She said she wanted to help me." Faith wasn't sure why she was trying to rationalize or downplay her decision to save Tara from Spike. At the time, she didn't really know why she did it. There had even been a moment, when she was in control of Tara's body, that it occurred to her that she could just take over. She could just become Tara and leave her body behind. Instead, she opted to help Tara last long enough for Buffy to save her.</p>
<p>Buffy ignored Faith's comment and began to kiss her softly. Slow open mouth kisses that were warm and gentle. The kind of loving and un-demanding kisses that Buffy was pretty sure Faith had never experienced before.</p>
<p>Faith's hands went to Buffy's hips and began to slowly slide under her shirt. Buffy moaned and wrapped her legs around Faith's waist. Faith's hands slid further and pushed Buffy's shirt up. Buffy gasped as a second set of hands helped to lift her shirt off completely. Again two sets of hands worked together to remove Faith's shirt.</p>
<p>Tara wasn't exactly sure how it happened, but she suddenly found herself on her back and completely naked. Buffy was smiling down at her.</p>
<p>"You didn't think I forgot my plan to show you our appreciation for waking Faith up?" The look on Buffy's face was positively carnal.</p>
<p>"Oh!" She had time to hiss out before Buffy's lips descended on hers. It wasn't like Tara hadn't had time to imagine what was going to happen when Faith woke up. She had definitely thought about it.</p>
<p>She just hadn't imagined this. Both slayers attention focused solely on her. Buffy's knowing touch mixed with Faith's exploration.</p>
<p>It was far more than her wildest dreams. She couldn't wait until it was her turn to return the favor.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tara gasped as she opened the door to her room, she had a feeling of what she was going to see, but it was so much more than she had expected.</p>
<p>When she left to take a shower 30 minutes ago, she suggested that Faith wake Buffy up. It looks like Faith took her advice.</p>
<p>Tara stood in the doorway and watched for far longer than she should have. The energy swirling around the slayers as they moved together was completely entrancing Tara.</p>
<p>"Tara?"</p>
<p>Tara slammed the door shut and turned to face Willow, trying to regain her composure and figure out how to handle this situation. She knew they would eventually have to deal with this, but she was hoping for a little more time - and certainly different circumstances. Tara had no idea how much Willow had seen, from the very puzzled look on the other witch's face, she had a feeling it was more than she should have. Then she saw Riley storming towards them, and she knew she had to act fast.</p>
<p>"I'll explain everything, just play along. Riley won't be able to see Faith." Tara really hoped that Willow would cooperate. She had been trying for weeks to change Willow's mind about Faith. She hadn't made nearly as much progress as she would have liked.</p>
<p>"What? What the hell is going on?" Willow had been on edge since Faith had woken up. She couldn't make sense of Buffy's unwillingness to hunt the evil slayer down. Willow firmly believed that Faith belonged in jail, and nothing was going to convince her otherwise.</p>
<p>"Please, just let me get rid of him, and then we'll explain." Tara was silently pleading with Willow to be reasonable, she was also hoping that the slayers were preparing themselves for some unexpected and possibly hostile company.</p>
<p>Willow scowled but nodded.</p>
<p>"Where is she?!" Riley had stomped his way down the hallway and was now in Tara's face.</p>
<p>"Where is who?" Tara batted her eyes innocently at Riley. She truly loathed the man, and it took a lot of her self-control not to use her magic to remove him from their lives.</p>
<p>"Don't play dumb with me. I know Faith is here, someone saw her on your floor last night." Riley leaned forward, trying to use his size to intimidate Tara. He hated everything about the smug girl. Usually, he tried to play nice - believing that Buffy would eventually get over this ridiculous phase and come back to him.</p>
<p>But right now, he didn't care about playing nice. Very little was working out the way he wanted it to. He didn't understand Buffy's connection to Faith, but he knew that Buffy had been visiting the comatose girl for months on an almost daily basis. With a little research of Faith's background, he was confident that if he could capture Faith - he could get Buffy to be his again.</p>
<p>"I'm not sure how that proves I know where she is. But if you hold on a second, I'll let you check to see if she's here." Tara was trying desperately to stay calm. She pushed the door open, hoping to sneak inside and make sure the slayers were dressed, but of course, Riley didn't cooperate, and he shoved the door open as soon as she unlocked it.</p>
<p>He barreled into the room, and let out an enraged grunt when all he could see was a fully-clothed Buffy standing calmly next to the bed.</p>
<p>He couldn't see Faith, who was standing slightly behind Buffy. Tara tried not to show how relieved she was that the spell worked as intended to hide Faith from anyone who meant her harm.</p>
<p>"See? She's not here." Tara swept her arm around the room.</p>
<p>Riley scowled and poked under the bed and in the closet. Faith stood next to Buffy with a grin, she decided to have a little fun since Riley couldn't see her. She moved behind Buffy and began placing soft kisses on her neck.</p>
<p>Buffy squeaked, "Hey, Willow, what are you doing here?" Hoping that Faith might get the message that Willow could see her.</p>
<p>It did not work.</p>
<p>"Oh.. I was just… coming to say hi." Willow was struggling with everything that was happening. Buffy was supposed to hate Faith, not allow her to hold and kiss her. And she had no idea what was going on with Riley.</p>
<p>Riley had finished his search, and he turned to face Buffy. "I know you know where she is. She's dangerous, you should tell me right now."</p>
<p>"I have no idea what you are talking about," Buffy replied, trying not to react to what Faith was doing to her. While also resisting her very strong desire to throw Riley out of the room.</p>
<p>Riley grabbed Buffy by the arm and tried to yank her towards the door. He found himself flying through the air and crashing into the hallway instead.</p>
<p>"Faith!" Buffy hissed and blocked Faith's path to inflict more damage on Riley.</p>
<p>"You just let him do that? Let him grab you?" Faith was beyond incredulous.</p>
<p>"He can't hurt me," Buffy argued, and Faith gaped at her.</p>
<p>"What does that have to do with anything?! What if he's doing that to other girls? What if he did that to Tara?"</p>
<p>Buffy frowned and looked over at Tara, who was helping Riley to stand. "Oh."</p>
<p>"Does he do that a lot?" Faith asked, very barely managing to keep her anger in check.</p>
<p>Buffy nodded, "I never really noticed… but yeah. We'll talk about this later."</p>
<p>"B..." Faith whined.</p>
<p>"I promise. We will talk about it." Buffy whispered and walked over to Riley and Tara.</p>
<p>"What happened?" Riley seemed to be struggling for breath.</p>
<p>"You just kind of fell over," Tara answered, and used a little magic to calm him down and heal his bruised lungs.</p>
<p>"Oh… but…" Riley rubbed his head and wondered why the girl he hated with a passion was being nice to him.</p>
<p>"You should really be more careful, maybe you should go to the doctor and get checked out." Tara pulsed him again, using a little more suggestion to get him to leave.</p>
<p>He was a little wobbly on his feet, but he turned and walked away. Tara regretted not just doing that in the first place.</p>
<p>"So… what the hell is going on here?" Willow asked once Tara and Buffy returned to the room.</p>
<p>"We found Faith," Buffy answered, and Willow scowled at her.</p>
<p>"I can see that!" Willow waved at Faith, who was standing only a few feet from her.</p>
<p>"Wait… you can see me?" Faith shuffled her feet, and a wave of embarrassment hit her as she realized what Willow had seen. "Sorry, B."</p>
<p>Willow was even more confused at the contrite way Faith was acting, instead of calming her down - it only seemed to make her angrier. "Buffy tried to convince me that you weren't dangerous, that you deserve a second chance. Then I saw… explain to me what the hell is happening!" Willow thrust her finger at Faith, who did her best not to react in any way to the threatening gesture. She was sure she was going to have to deal with more of this, she couldn't let it upset her too much.</p>
<p>"Willow, it's OK. She's not dangerous." Tara said as she moved closer to Willow. She didn't really think that Willow would do anything to hurt Faith, she wouldn't be able to see her if that was her intent. Still, she had caused this mess and felt the need to do something.</p>
<p>"You don't even know her! You have no idea what she's done." Willow was not handling this news well at all, and Faith began to panic. Buffy had forgiven her, but that didn't mean anyone else would. Willow didn't have any reason to trust her, and she didn't even know where to begin with her apology.</p>
<p>"I'm just gonna go. This was a mistake." Faith ran from the room, and Buffy immediately chased after her.</p>
<p>"Faith! Please don't go." Buffy shouted as she ran down the hallway. Faith was easily outpacing her, but when she reached the stairs, she abruptly stopped running. Buffy hesitated for a moment, wanting to wrap Faith in her arms and never let her go - but knowing that probably wasn't the right way to handle this situation. Faith needed to stay because she wanted to - not because she was being forced.</p>
<p>"I'm just getting out of your hair for a bit. I'm not leaving." Faith was fighting with herself, the urge to run was intense. But she knew that the only way to get what Buffy and Tara were offering her was to stay and deal with the repercussions of the horrible things she had done. "I'm so scared."</p>
<p>"I know me too. It's OK to be scared." Buffy pulled Faith close, and Faith latched onto her. "I'm not letting you go this time."</p><hr/>
<p>"Tara? I know what I saw. How can you be OK with this? I don't understand. Faith is evil, she can't be trusted!" Willow was stalking around Tara's dorm room.</p>
<p>Tara frowned, this was not how things were supposed to happen. "Did you know that Buffy visited Faith, pretty much every day?"</p>
<p>"Probably just to make sure she didn't wake up and kill us all." Willow scoffed, but she did finally stop pacing.</p>
<p>Tara shook her head, "it was because she was consumed with guilt. She would sit and talk to Faith. Buffy apologized over and over and talked about how she could have done things differently."</p>
<p>"How do you know she was doing that?" Willow's angry posture was finally falling away, and Tara hoped that this meant Willow would be able to see the truth of how much her best friend had been suffering.</p>
<p>"Because Faith could hear her… so when I started visiting her, I could see it all through Faith's eyes."</p>
<p>"You visited her? Why?"</p>
<p>"Because I wanted to find out why Buffy was so torn up over her. At first, it was definitely because I was jealous. I quickly understood it was more complicated than I imagined, and all I cared about was helping them both heal."</p>
<p>Willow softened as she thought about the transformation Buffy has gone through since Faith came into their lives. She had been jealous of their relationship and never liked Faith - but looking back, it was apparent now how much Buffy had changed. She had always attributed it to Angel, but maybe it was Faith.</p>
<p>"So… now Faith is awake, and you're just letting Buffy go? You don't care that she dumped you to be with a murderer?"</p>
<p>Tara rubbed her forehead, they had agreed to wait until everyone accepted Faith - but that really wasn't an option now. "That's not quite what's happening here."</p>
<p>"I saw them! Faith was all over her." Willow was outraged on Tara's behalf. Since becoming friends with the shy witch, she had grown almost as protective of her as Buffy was. She couldn't begin to fathom how Buffy could do this to Tara.</p>
<p>"I spent a lot of time with Faith, in her head. I know more about her than anyone else. She made mistakes, and she feels terrible about them. But she wants to do the right thing now. She is ready to be the person and slayer she was meant to be."</p>
<p>"OK… what does that have to do with anything?"</p>
<p>"During all our time together… feelings started to develop."</p>
<p>Willow's eyes went impossibly wide as what Tara was saying began to sink in. "No way! No way is Buffy involved in some crazy three-way relationship!"</p>
<p>"You should talk to her about it. Maybe you'll understand how much better things are for her now. It's only been a day, and I can already see the change. You must have noticed how she never really smiles. How she's never really relaxed?" Tara knew that if anyone else had noticed the underlying sadness that was always present with Buffy, it would be Willow.</p>
<p>Willow frowned, even in the few brief moments she saw Buffy today, the difference was there. A lightness to Buffy that she's hadn't seen in a long time. There was just too much else going on for her to really notice it. Deciding to file away the insanity of the threesome for another time, she focused on what was probably more important. "You're positive that Faith isn't going to hurt anyone?"</p>
<p>"I am. We have to deal with the council and Riley, but once we've figured that out - I am confident that Faith can be the person she was always meant to be." Tara hadn't realized she was holding her breath while she waited for Willow to process everything. But now she could breathe again. The issue certainly wasn't resolved, but they could move past it for now.</p>
<p>Willow pouted and crossed her arms over her stomach as she wrestled with trying to see Faith as anything other than a crazed murderer.</p>
<p>"Everything OK in here?" Buffy poked her head in the room, pulling Faith in behind her once she got a nod from Tara. "Willow?"</p>
<p>Willow looked up and saw Buffy's nervous eyes, she looked at Faith's downcast and terrified face. "Yeah, everything is OK. This is… a lot to take in… but I trust you know what you're doing."</p>
<p>"I'm not here to hurt anyone, and I would never do anything to come between B and Tara." Faith spat the words out as quickly as possible. She was very aware she would have to say them repeatedly. She really hoped it would eventually become more comfortable to say.</p>
<p>Willow narrowed her eyes at Faith, "I don't know what to make of any of this."</p>
<p>"We're still kinda figuring things out," Buffy admitted.</p>
<p>"Maybe you two should talk. We can go to your mother's this afternoon." Tara suggested, breaking the awkward silence that had grown.</p>
<p>"Yeah, that sounds good." Buffy looked at Faith, who still half looked like she was about to run screaming from the room. "Take good care of each other," Buffy smirked at Tara and Faith - Willow gasped. Buffy pulled Willow out of the room before she could say anything else.</p>
<p>"Did you really just say that?" Willow asked, as soon as she figured out how to even speak.</p>
<p>Buffy laughed, "Seems like I did."</p>
<p>"Are you sure…" Willow hesitated, she had to admit that she could already tell that Buffy was different. It reminded her of how Buffy was when the first met. Not nearly as dragged down by life as she had seemed to be these few years.</p>
<p>"Am I sure about what?"</p>
<p>Willow hated to even suggest it, but she had to. Buffy was her best friend. "Are you sure… you're not under a spell or something? I mean… maybe it wasn't even Faith… maybe something else happened." Willow tried to soften the blow, though she wasn't sure it was working.</p>
<p>"Do you think Tara could be under a spell? Whatever happened would have had to have started months ago. And it's not like I instantly agreed to this."</p>
<p>"Maybe she just thought she was spending time with Faith… maybe it's all a spell."</p>
<p>That got Buffy to pause for a second, "OK. How do we tell if it is or not? And still… Tara is a pretty powerful Wicca - who could even put a spell like that on her?"</p>
<p>"OK, I guess you have a point there." Willow had to concede the argument, though she wasn't totally convinced.</p>
<p>Buffy frowned as she considered that Willow might be right.</p>
<p>"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sure it's nothing like that. It's just a lot to process. I didn't want to admit it… but I saw what Tara saw too."</p>
<p>"What do you mean? Saw what?"</p>
<p>Willow sighed, "can we maybe sit?" Willow motioned to a bench, and Buffy sat next to her.</p>
<p>"We've been through a lot."</p>
<p>"We have." Buffy agreed and tried not to let any guilt creep in. Willow's life had completely changed direction because of Buffy.</p>
<p>"And you… you've changed a lot. When we first met… you were so happy and carefree. Then all the stuff with Angel happened."</p>
<p>"Yeah." Buffy sighed and looked down at her hands. "No more carefree Buffy after Angel."</p>
<p>"That's just it, though… there was briefly some carefree. When you started getting closer to Faith."</p>
<p>Buffy blew out a breath and leaned back. "Look how great that turned out."</p>
<p>"No, I know. Things went super bad. But why did they go so bad?"</p>
<p>"Are you trying to remind me of how hard she fell? I don't need to be reminded of that."</p>
<p>"That's not… no…. That's not what I meant. I just wondered how things would have gone without Angel coming back - without that accident. Without how angry she was."</p>
<p>"We can't really ever know that. I don't even know how much Tara did for her. I think she's only ever known pain." Buffy drifted into thinking about both Faith's and Tara's lives. They had both had such terrible experiences growing up. Buffy wanted to do everything she could to make sure neither of them experienced any kind of pain like that again.</p>
<p>"Do you love her?" Willow asked after a few minutes.</p>
<p>"Yes," Buffy answered without hesitation, a smile gracing her face once again. "Both of them. I love them both. Which seems impossible, but that's how I feel."</p>
<p>Willow sat and absorbed her best friend's words. It was ridiculous - but she knew there was no point in arguing. "Well, I'm still not sure I trust Faith. But I'm willing to give her a chance."</p>
<p>Buffy smiled and hugged Willow. "Thank you, I really appreciate you trying."</p>
<p>"If she murders us all - I'm definitely going to tell you 'I told you so.'" Willow said, and Buffy laughed before finally breaking the hug.</p>
<p>"So there is kinda something else I need you to do for me," Buffy said, and Willow raises an eyebrow. "The police are after Faith - can you find out why? Or maybe get them to stop looking for her?'</p>
<p>"Buffy... That's..." Willow was about to say no, but Buffy was looking at her in a way that she just couldn't say no to. "Fine, I'll try."</p>
<p>Buffy jumped and made happy noises, which Willow couldn't help but respond to. "There might be one other teeny tiny thing.."</p>
<p>"What's that?"</p>
<p>"Do you think you can help me convince Giles to protect her from the council?"</p><hr/>
<p>"Hey, mom."</p>
<p>"Buffy! I'm so glad to see you."</p>
<p>"Sorry, it's been so long."</p>
<p>"It's OK, I know you have a lot going on."</p>
<p>Joyce took in her daughter's appearance and could immediately tell something was bothering her. "Is something wrong? Did you and Tara fight?"</p>
<p>Buffy laughed, she was no good at keeping secrets, especially with her mother. "No, nothing like that. She's actually here, out back. I wanted to talk to you about something first."</p>
<p>"OK.."</p>
<p>"Faith woke up."</p>
<p>"Oh, no! Did she come after you or Tara?"</p>
<p>Buffy sighed, she had promised Faith not to say too much, but she wanted to spill everything. "She did at first, but it's OK now. She's not dangerous."</p>
<p>"How can you say that? After what happened between you two, how can you trust that she's not dangerous anymore?"</p>
<p>"I just can, we talked, and now we understand why things were so hard between us before. And you know how Tara is with magic, she knows that Faith is OK now too."</p>
<p>Joyce sat back on the couch, "does Tara know everything that happened?"</p>
<p>"She does."</p>
<p>"Does she know how Faith felt about you?"</p>
<p>Buffy eyes widened. "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"You can't tell me you didn't know that she was crazy about you. I started to wonder if you two were together and had some sort of a lover's quarrel."</p>
<p>Buffy blushed, "nothing like that happened then. I had no idea…" Buffy snapped her mouth shut, if she said anything more - she would say everything.</p>
<p>"You don't have to hide this from me. You know I accept you and everything about you."</p>
<p>"No, I know. I'm not hiding anything. Faith and I didn't… I had no idea she felt anything for me."</p>
<p>"But you know now?" Joyce raised an eyebrow, and Buffy squirmed under the knowing glance.</p>
<p>"It doesn't really matter. The point is that Faith is awake, and she's good, 'and I wanted to let her get to her stuff. So is that OK with you?"</p>
<p>"What do you mean - her stuff?"</p>
<p>"Oh… right...um…After I..." Buffy shifted and willed Tara to come in and rescue her. "I boxed up all her things and have been storing them in the basement."</p>
<p>"Let me just see if I understand - after you tried to kill her, you took it upon yourself to store all her belongings in case she ever woke up? And you expect me to believe there was nothing going on between you two?"</p>
<p>Buffy groaned and held her head in her hands, "there really wasn't. I spent most of my time pushing her away and letting her know she didn't belong here. There was no chance of anything happening between us then."</p>
<p>"Then? So you mean there is a chance now? You would do that to Tara?"</p>
<p>Buffy growled and stood up. "I would never hurt Tara."</p>
<p>Joyce could tell there was something else going on. Still, if Tara and Faith were waiting outside together, there likely wasn't any danger. "She is welcome to her belongings. I would like to speak to her first if that's OK?" At Buffy's hesitation, Joyce quickly added. "I'm not going to give her a hard time. I just want to get a chance to see for myself."</p>
<p>Buffy pushed out a breath, "of course. I'll go get them." Buffy moved quickly into the kitchen and out onto the deck. "She says it's OK, but she wants to talk to you first."</p>
<p>Faith was nervous, but Buffy squeezed her hand gently and gave a comforting smile. "We'll get through this."</p>
<p>Buffy watched Faith enter the house with trepidation. She really hoped that her mother didn't scare Faith away.</p>
<p>"She'll be OK," Tara said and guided Buffy to sitting on the bench.</p>
<p>Buffy sucked in a breath, the last barely 24 hours were a complete whirlwind for her. "Tara...I'm so sorry."</p>
<p>"What are you apologizing for?"</p>
<p>"A few things. First, I shouldn't have thought you..." Buffy couldn't even bring herself to say what she had initially thought when Tara admitted her feelings for Faith.</p>
<p>"Hey - that is not your fault at all. I was the one that made that hard. Things didn't really go the way I meant them to."</p>
<p>"This wasn't what you wanted?" Buffy felt her heart stop in the moment it took for Tara to respond.</p>
<p>"That's not what I meant. This is definitely what I wanted." Tara grinned, and Buffy melted, she would never get tired of Tara's smile. "I just intended to give you more time to figure out how you felt."</p>
<p>"Pretty sure the sun would have exploded before I would have figured this out." Buffy laughed, still finding the entire idea absurd - even though she was happier than she ever could have imagined. "I should have given you more of a chance to explain. I just... all I care about is that you and Faith are happy."</p>
<p>Tara smiled and reached for Buffy's hand. Even after all this time, Buffy's touch still blew her away. "That's all I care about too."</p>
<p>Buffy leaned over and kissed Tara gently. "Thank you - for just... for everything. You've given me so much."</p><hr/>
<p>"Hey, Mrs. S. Thanks for storing my stuff all this time… and I'm sorry about all the shit I did before." Faith stumbled into the living room with her eyes cast to the floor.</p>
<p>"Well, I didn't exactly know I was storing your stuff until a few minutes ago." Joyce wasn't sure how she felt about Faith. It was clear that something was different. This was not the overly confident young girl she had known before. It was also surprising that Buffy had sent Faith in here alone.</p>
<p>"Oh…"</p>
<p>"What are your intentions?" Joyce had compassion for Faith, but her first duty was to protect her daughter.</p>
<p>That question got Faith to look up. "What do you mean?"</p>
<p>"Are you here to hurt Buffy?"</p>
<p>"No. That's the last thing I want to do."</p>
<p>"Where did this change in attitude come from? I don't know everything that happened between you two, but I do know how it ended."</p>
<p>Faith put her hand over her scar and frowned, "Tara." Faith said quietly.</p>
<p>"What about her?"</p>
<p>"She helped me… while I was in the coma."</p>
<p>Joyce was utterly confused now. "How did she do that, and why?"</p>
<p>"I don't really know the answer to either question." Faith shrugged, "but she did. She helped me wake up, and she's helping keep me safe now."</p>
<p>"Does she know how you feel about my daughter?"</p>
<p>Faith took a step back, not wanting to believe that Buffy had already betrayed her trust. "What did B say?"</p>
<p>"Nothing, she didn't have to. I always knew how you felt about her."</p>
<p>"Oh." Faith relaxed slightly, "yeah. T knows how I felt."</p>
<p>"Felt?"</p>
<p>Faith was getting frustrated now. "Look, I'm not here to hurt anyone or mess anything up for B. I just… I just wanna be a slayer and maybe not screw everything up again."</p>
<p>Joyce could see the sincerity, but she was still apprehensive about what was going to happen to her daughter. "She's happy now. Tara makes her happy."</p>
<p>Faith tried to contain her smirk, but she wasn't sure she succeeded. "I know."</p>
<p>"I don't want you around my daughter!" Joyce saw the smirk and decided she had to put a stop to this right now. Her raised voice brought Tara and Buffy into the living room.</p>
<p>"Mom!" Buffy yelled.</p>
<p>"She's going to hurt you. She still loves you."</p>
<p>Buffy squeezed her eyes shut and tried to remember how to breathe.</p>
<p>"Mrs. Summers?" Tara took a calming step forward and then turned back to Buffy and Faith. "Why don't you two go get Faith's things while we talk." The slayers eagerly took the opportunity to leave the very tense room.</p>
<p>"How can you let them be alone together? Faith is…"</p>
<p>"I know."</p>
<p>"I doubt whatever Buffy told you was the entire truth. She's been such a mess since they fought, I know there's more to what happened between them than she'll ever admit to."</p>
<p>Tara motioned Joyce to the couch. "I know everything that happened. I saw it all through Faith's eyes. And despite what you might think, nothing romantic ever happened between them."</p>
<p>"What do you mean you saw it?"</p>
<p>"I can use my magic to enter people's minds. While Faith was in her coma, I saw everything." Tara greatly simplified what she was capable of, and what transpired between her and the comatose slayer.</p>
<p>"So you know exactly how she feels - how dangerous she is?" Joyce didn't know what to make of all this. She obviously knew that magic was real, but the concept of entering someone else's mind was a lot to accept.</p>
<p>"I do know how she feels. She was only dangerous because she didn't know." Tara paused and looked towards the kitchen. "She was 16, alone and living in a motel by herself. She had no one to help her with anything. Her life before… it was hard. That's all she knew. Everyone who was supposed to care about her - didn't." Tara didn't feel right sharing details of Faith's past, but she needed Joyce to understand and maybe find some compassion for Faith.</p>
<p>Joyce was quiet, as she took the time to process everything Tara had said. "I never really thought about that. I tried to talk to Buffy about her, but it was like pulling teeth." Joyce remembers her initial excitement when the younger slayer entered their lives. Buffy quickly dashed any hopes that Buffy could just retire, but Joyce had at least believed with two slayers - her daughter had a better chance for survival.</p>
<p>"Buffy was struggling too. But they understand themselves and each other now. There is no chance either would ever hurt the other." Tara briefly considered using magic to help Joyce accept the idea that Faith wasn't going to hurt anyone. She held out hope that she wouldn't need to - but she wouldn't risk damaging the relationship between Buffy and her mother. She watched Joyce and waited calmly for her reaction, all while preparing the least intrusive spell that would smooth this situation along.</p>
<p>Joyce wanted to believe Tara. She knew the young woman was quite adept at magic and cared very deeply for Buffy. But she didn't really know Tara or anything about her history. They ate dinner once or twice a month, but the girl was usually very shy and did not share much about herself. This was the longest conversation they've had. "I don't want either of you to get hurt."</p>
<p>Buffy and Faith make their way into the living room before Tara could figure out how to respond.</p>
<p>Joyce saw how the slayers were looking at each other and knew they weren't telling her everything. She watched her daughter carefully, Buffy was clearly nervous - but it was also quite clear that she was happy. It hadn't been easy, but Joyce had learned to accept that her daughter's life wasn't going the way she had expected. If Buffy lived to 25, it would be a miracle. Joyce couldn't risk missing a minute of Buffy's life. So even if she couldn't at all understand the situation with Faith, she had to try - she had to be open and trust that Buffy knew what she was doing.</p>
<p>"Mom?" Buffy asked, very nervous about the way her mother was looking at them.</p>
<p>Joyce put her hands on her hips and shook her head. "Are you..." She didn't actually want to ask the question. Mostly because she didn't want to actually know what she assumed to be true. She just wanted her daughter to be happy and safe. "Just... be careful."</p>
<p>"We will, mom. Always." Buffy hugged her mom, and they started their trek back to the dorms. Buffy really hoped that by the time they dropped Faith's stuff off, they would have managed to figure out what to say to Giles.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"This is my line in the sand, Giles," Buffy said - her arms folded over her chest as she stared her watcher down.</p><p>"Buffy, really - I do not understand..." Giles started, but Buffy cut him off.</p><p>"I don't need you to understand - I need you to trust me. I need you to believe that I know what I'm doing." Buffy barely contains her frustration.</p><p>"What do you expect of me?" Giles asked tentatively.</p><p>Buffy's posture relaxed slightly as it seemed like Giles might be willing to listen to her. "I want you to help me protect Faith from the council, the police, and whoever else might be after her."</p><p>Giles clucked his tongue nervously and shuffled a few papers on his desk, trying to buy time.</p><p>Buffy knew his stalling tactics and was not going to let him get away with not answering her. "And I need your answer right now. You tell me you are on my side, that you are willing to give Faith a chance - or I walk out that door, and you will never see me again."</p><p>Giles pushed out a breath and tried to think of some way to convince Buffy that her request was irrational - without saying it outright. Shouting from the central area of the Magic Box gave him the distraction he needed to brush Buffy's question off.</p><p>"What is she doing here!?" Xander had picked a sword off the training room wall and was waving it menacingly at Faith, who was very barely managing to keep calm. Her fists were tightly clenched, but they were down at her side, and she retreated as he advanced on her.</p><p>"Xander!" Buffy shouted and rushed him, quickly disarming him and pushing him away from Faith. "What are you doing?!"</p><p>"What am I doing?!" Xander shouted back, incredulously. "What are you doing?! Faith is right there! How is she not in chains?!"</p><p>"Faith isn't going to hurt anyone," Tara said, causing Xander to be even more confused.</p><p>"You don't understand! She is evil!" Xander was completely freaking out, and he was not aware of anything besides his own fear of Faith. "I am calling the police."</p><p>Xander took one step towards the phone, and Buffy moved quickly to block his path. "You are not calling the police."</p><p>"How can you say this? What is wrong with you? She must have put a spell on you!" Xander is screaming at Buffy, and it is taking all of her self control not to knock him out. She knew it would be hard to get everyone to accept Faith, but she did not expect it to be this hard.</p><p>Buffy shook her head and moved quickly to block his attempts to sneak around her. "Xander - I need you to listen to me."</p><p>But Xander wasn't interested in listening, and he pulled his hand back in preparation to punch Buffy. Before he could even begin to move his arm forward, he was pinned face down on the ground by Faith. He thrashed and screamed under her weight, but he was unable to free himself.</p><p>"Buffy..." Giles starts, and Buffy whips around to face him.</p><p>"What?" Buffy has her arms crossed over her chest and is tapping her foot in irritation. "You saw what happened. Xander was going to hit me, and Faith very carefully subdued him."</p><p>"Yes, well, that doesn't mean..." Giles was even more confident that Buffy was mistaken with her trust in Faith.</p><p>Buffy roared and took a step towards Giles, who had the good sense to back up. "It does mean! He was threatening her with a sword, and she did nothing to defend herself. She only took action in defense of me. Honestly, if he swung at her or Tara that way - I would have done far worse."</p><p>No one missed the way that Buffy had lumped Tara and Faith into the same category. This had the unfortunate effect of convincing Giles even more that Buffy was making irrational decisions.</p><p>"B, can you give Xan and me a minute to talk alone?" Faith decided to try and defuse the situation. Even though she was more than a little terrified to talk to Xander alone, this will be her first attempt at an apology and the one that she was the most conflicted about.</p><p>Buffy softened and walked out of the training area, pushing Giles out along with her.</p><p>"You're trusting Faith to be alone in there with him?" Giles asked, needing to hear Buffy confirm what was already obviously true.</p><p>"Giles, please. For once, I need you to trust me. I need you on my side." Tara's heart was breaking as she watched Buffy beg Giles to support her. Knowing full well that he wouldn't and wasn't even considering it.</p><p>"I've always been on your side," Giles argued, and Buffy huffed in frustration.</p><p>"We have very different definitions of what that means," Buffy said and dropped heavily into a chair. Tara sat next to her and reached out her hand. Buffy was very grateful to have someone who believed in her.</p><p>"Mr. Giles, all we are asking for is that you give Faith a chance." Tara very rarely spoke up, and this gave Giles pause. He decided that Tara was simply supporting Buffy and didn't understand the situation.</p><p>"She can cause a significant amount of damage before we know for sure what her intentions are."</p><p>Buffy sighed dramatically and dropped her head onto the table. Buffy knew this was pointless. She decided that Giles had until Faith was done talking to Xander to declare his decision outright.</p><hr/><p>Xander picked up the sword he had before and brandished it at Faith as soon as everyone else had left the training area. Faith couldn't help but chuckle a little. "You know that won't help you, right?"</p><p>"Yeah - but it makes me feel better." Xander retorted.</p><p>"Well, whatever makes you happy." Faith said and hopped up onto the pommel horse, trying to appear casual even though her heart was racing as she tried to figure out how to apologize.</p><p>"I'm not like you - hurting people doesn't make me happy." Xander saw Faith's wince and took it as a victory.</p><p>"Look - I know you're not going to believe me, but I'm not like that anymore." Faith knew how empty her words sounded. If the situation were reversed, she wouldn't believe herself either.</p><p>"Did you grow a conscience while you knocked out?" Xander chuckled at the idea of Faith being anything other than the monster he remembered.</p><p>"Yeah, you could say that."</p><p>"How?" Xander lowered the sword - a little because he was starting to see that Faith really was different, but mostly because the sword was heavy.</p><p>"Tara." Faith couldn't help her smile, just thinking about Tara.</p><p>"You better not be messing with her!" Xander took a threatening step towards Faith, the sword raised again and was now mere inches from her face. "Buffy will rip you to pieces if you hurt her."</p><p>"No doubt about that," Faith reclined slightly. It was getting more and more difficult to fight her instinct to protect herself. If the sword got any closer to her face, she was pretty sure she was going to hurt Xander whether she wanted to or not. "Tara is the first person I've ever met who didn't immediately decide I was trash."</p><p>"Well - give her time." Xander retorted with a nasty grin.</p><p>Faith blew out an annoyed breath and gently pushed to blade to the side. "Ok - clearly you aren't interested in listening to me. And I get that - just know that I know I can never apologize enough to you. I can never undo what I did to you, and I don't expect you to care about what I have to say."</p><p>Faith was about to hop off the horse and go and see what they've decided to do with her. "Wait... what are you talking about? You didn't hurt me that badly." Xander rubbed at his throat, remembering the night he had gone to Faith to try and reason with her. "I mean, maybe if Angel hadn't gotten in there in time..."</p><p>"I didn't mean when I was strangling you. Though - yeah, I am sorry about that too." Faith struggled with that apology since mostly she still believed he was a moron for trying to confront her, just because they had shared one meaningless night. "I meant when we had sex."</p><p>"You're apologizing for having sex with me? Are you for real?" Xander was laughing like this was the most absurd thing he'd ever heard. "Trust me - I did not mind that part at all."</p><p>Faith saw through his bravado, and even though she really didn't want to have this conversation, she knew it had to be done - so she pushed forward. "Didn't you? You didn't mind that your first time wasn't with someone that you actually cared about?"</p><p>"Pfft... cared about? You really have gone soft." Xander had dropped the sword and had even turned his back to Faith to place it back on the wall. "I'm a guy - guys don't care about that kind of thing."</p><p>"Good. Glad it didn't mess you up." Faith was pretty sure Xander was lying to himself, but she wasn't his therapist. "I just..." Then she mentally rolled her eyes at herself. Xander was giving her an out. She could just walk away. "I know it affects some people - when that choice is taken away from them."</p><p>This seemed to make Xander furious again, "why are you saying it like that? I had a choice - I never said no or even tried to stop you."</p><p>"And I knew that you wouldn't. I knew how nervous you were, I knew you didn't like me, but I also knew that if I made the first move - there was no way you'd say no." Faith felt sick to her stomach. Even though, at the time, it wasn't like it was a conscious decision she had made. It was just always how she had lived her life. Sex was meaningless to her. At that moment, she had truly thought that she was doing a nice thing for him.</p><p>"That's..." Xander folded his arms over his chest and frowned. "That's not how it happened."</p><p>"It happened however you remember it." Faith conceded and leaned against the wall, giving him a little time to think.</p><p>After a few minutes, he cleared his throat and looked at her. "Well... thanks, I guess."</p><hr/><p>"I'm waiting," Buffy said without raising her head from the table.</p><p>"Buffy..." Giles started, and Buffy practically roared as she stood and slammed her hands on the table.</p><p>"Giles!" Buffy glared at her watcher. "You have no idea... she was 15 and all alone! Did you even think about how she was living? Did it even cross your mind to offer her help?" Buffy closed her eyes for a second and recalled some of Faith's pain from their shared memories. Just for the briefest of moments, she considered letting Giles feel exactly what it had been like for Faith.</p><p>Just as quickly as the idea came to her, she dismissed it. Faith had shared that pain with her, but it was not Buffy's to share with anyone else. She had probably already said too much. Faith was intensely private, and Buffy would never do anything to betray that.</p><p>Giles looked away in shame. The truth is that he hadn't thought about her. Faith made him uneasy. He saw himself in the angry young slayer and was too afraid of who he had been to even contemplate Faith or consider offering her help.</p><p>He rationalized the decision by telling himself that he was never really her watcher. But deep down, he knew he had been lying to himself. He was not sure he was ready to fully admit the truth.</p><p>Faith was leaning in the doorway to the training room now. Her hands clasped loosely at her waist. Her conversation with Xander had been hard, but she had made it through, and she thought maybe a tentative friendship had formed. If she could just get the council off her back, then maybe she could just live.</p><p>She heard the exchange between Giles and Buffy, and from the way Buffy's fingers were clenched into tight fists, she guessed at a little of what Buffy had been considering doing. She watched with apprehension as Buffy finally loosened her posture and looked in Faith's direction.</p><p>Faith had no idea how to advocate for herself in this situation. It crossed her mind that maybe if Giles really did know how much pain she had been in, that maybe he would have helped her then - or that he might help her now. But that wasn't going to work for her. She would never accept anyone's help out of pity.</p><p>Even if she desperately needed it.</p><p>Tara was teetering on the edge of sanity - all of the conflicted and painful emotions were swirling around the room, and she couldn't shut them out. With a grunt, she gathered her strength and stood up.</p><p>"Ripper." She practically snarled out the name. "After everything you've done - you will do this."</p><p>"How do you know..." Giles stammered and took a step back, having never seen Tara behave like this.</p><p>"Some from stories Buffy has shared, other information came from books that you might have been a little too careless with." Tara barely repressed her grin at Giles' shocked expression.</p><p>Giles swallowed hard, trying to hold his ground. His past had nothing to do with Faith's turn to the dark side and the consequences she had to face.</p><p>"And you might be wondering what your days as Ripper has to do with anything." Tara grinned as she saw the confusion flicker on his face. "Your youthful indiscretions came about because you rebelled against the expectations of your family. The future that was forced upon you without any choice."</p><p>Tara took a moment to gather herself and find the best words to convince Giles without betraying Faith's trust. "How is what Faith did any worse than what you've done? Were you ever even punished for the allegiance you formed with a demon? Did you have to pay for any of the deaths you caused?"</p><p>Drawing strength from the slayers, Tara continued, "no, you weren't punished. The very people you were rebelling against bailed you out. Even then, you had a choice. You could have struck out on your own and lived your own life. Instead, you continued to enjoy the comfortable life that being part of the council provided you."</p><p>Giles frowned as he considered what she was saying. He couldn't even say that he hadn't killed people and done far worse things than Faith could have even imagined. It was a struggle to resist itching at the tattoo that was practically pulsing under Tara's accusations.</p><p>Tara looked over to Buffy and Faith, her heart breaking all over again as she recalled what she had learned of the council. There was so much more that she wanted to scream at Giles for, but this wasn't really the time for that.</p><p>"It's true that you are different than other watchers - than the rest of the council. The fact that you can even see Faith right now is proof of that. But you have never truly seen Buffy as the human being she is. Her duty to the world has always had to come first."</p><p>Giles' eyes darted over to Buffy, who was watching him with a furrowed brow, and her arms crossed over her stomach. For the moment, looking every bit of the young woman who once pleaded with him to help her not die. He failed her then, just as he had countless times since.</p><p>"So here is what is going to happen. You will set a meeting with the council - here - tomorrow. We will talk to them, and you will support us in protecting Faith." Tara resisted the urge to do or say more. Giles was not a bad person. He had no ill intent - he was just a flawed human being that thought he was doing the right thing.</p><p>The room was silent as all eyes were on Giles as they awaited his response.</p><p>"I will support you." Giles finally said and looked up at Faith. "It may be far too little, too late, but I will do everything within my power to help you with the council."</p><p>Buffy looked over to Tara and finally relaxed at the slight head nod. She knew things weren't remotely over, but at least they had some support from Giles.</p><p>There was still a tremendous amount of tension in the room. Giles couldn't help but wonder what Tara had learned about his past. Along with wondering how powerful of a witch she was.</p><p>"We should go," Buffy says after a few more moments, even though they had sort of won this interaction - she did not at all feel good about it.</p><hr/><p>Faith woke up the same way she had woken up every day since she had entered into a relationship with Buffy and Tara.</p><p>Happy and in a position she never imagined in a million years could happen.</p><p>Somehow, no matter what had happened the previous night, Faith would always wake up in the middle.</p><p>Tara's arm was draped over her waist from behind, hand splayed over Faith's stomach. Buffy lay facing her, her head cradled against Faith's shoulder and her arms holding her possessively close. Faith never imagined sleeping with even one person would be comfortable, but now she was sure she'd never want to sleep alone again.</p><p>Faith snuggled between Tara and Buffy with a soft smile and thought about everything that had happened since Tara came into her life.</p><p>There were so many completely unexpected things that had happened since she woke up. But the one she was having the most trouble understanding - was how different sex was with someone that meant something to you.</p><p>For Faith, it had always been about getting off and getting gone. The only thing that mattered was getting what she wanted. It could be food, a place to stay, or maybe just a quick release - it was never anything more than that. But now - there was no transaction. There was just giving.</p><p>The first night together, she was nervous at first - she knew she'd be expected to stay. That part alone terrified her. Faith was not one to be worried about the act itself - guys were pretty easy to read. But women were a totally different story - never mind two women. Never mind two women that were offering her everything and asking nothing in return. For the first time in her life, she was worried about her performance in bed.</p><p>But when she watched Buffy start to pleasure Tara, her fears melted away. She was just in complete awe. All that Faith wanted was to give herself to these two women. She knew that if she gave all of herself, they would do the same.</p><p>Thinking about that first night reminded her of her hardest apology - which had been to Xander. She was horrified about what she had done to him without even thinking. She had taken something from him that couldn't be given back.</p><p>Even though Xander appeared to accept her apology, Faith's guilt was not completely assuaged. There wasn't much else she could do. She promised to be a friend to Xander - anything he ever needed, and she would be there for him. Faith vowed to herself to do everything she could to keep the promise.</p><p>Faith was brought out of her reminiscing by soft kisses being pressed to her collar bone. A low moan escaped before she could stop it, resulting in a light nip to her throat.</p><p>"Shhh," Buffy whispered, "don't want to wake Tara up." Then she ran her tongue gently over the area she had just nibbled on.</p><p>Faith couldn't help but chuckle at this completely absurd situation. Faith bit her lip to stay quiet after another gentle nip from Buffy. She did her best to keep still and quiet while Buffy showered her body with attention.</p><p>Just as she was about to lose her mind, she felt Tara stirring behind her. She let out a gasping moan of relief and was rewarded with soft loving kisses that she knew she would never get tired of.</p><p>As Faith slowly came down from her high, she desperately tried to hold on to how good she felt. In a few short hours, they'd be meeting with the council. Faith couldn't decide what she was more afraid of - what the council might be planning, or what Tara and Buffy might be willing to do to protect her.</p><p>"Hey - stop that." Tara nuzzled her neck from behind and pulled her closer. "We will get through this. Trust me."</p><p>And Faith did trust Tara, trusted her more even than herself.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tara sat in the chair across from Quentin Travers and two other council members. Buffy was to her right, while Giles hovered behind them. Faith was leaning against the glass display cases, the council members unable to see her.</p>
<p>"Tell us where she is." Quentin sat stiffly in his seat, feeling completely confident that he'd be able to gain control of the situation. If everything went according to plan, they'd soon have a new slayer—one who would be obedient to the council.</p>
<p>"What do you plan to do with her?" Tara knew, but she had to get the dialogue moving and get a feel for how the council would handle this situation.</p>
<p>"We simply want to evaluate and, if possible, rehabilitate her." Quentin's response was calm and measured. If it wasn't for the fact that Tara knew he was lying, it would have been easy to believe him.</p>
<p>Tara tsked and shook her head. "We're never going to get anywhere if you aren't going to be honest."</p>
<p>The watcher to Quentin's right stood and angrily pointed at Tara. "Why are we even talking to her? This is a council matter. She is an unwelcome interloper - she should not even be in this meeting!"</p>
<p>"You can talk to whoever you want, but I'm the only one that can help you find Faith. If you aren't willing to be reasonable, we can just end this discussion now." Tara hoped she could keep up this level of confidence. She knew there was an excellent chance she would have to do something that she really didn't want to do to keep Faith safe.</p>
<p>"She can't hide forever." Quentin was just barely keeping his composure at this point. He was annoyed to be forced into this situation. He hated everything about America, and he really hated to have his authority challenged.</p>
<p>"Actually, she can." Tara countered and leaned back in her chair, mirroring Quentin's posture while attempting to exude an air of confidence and strength. It helps that Buffy and Faith are both infusing her with their trust.</p>
<p>A small part of her wanted to buckle under the pressure. Standing up to authority figures wasn't exactly something she had ever done before. This moment was too critical, though. Tara needed to do this for both Buffy and Faith.</p>
<p>Quentin brought out his phone and tapped a few buttons. He slid his phone back into his pocket, and with not at all concealed contempt, he asked, "are you quite certain of that?"</p>
<p>Tara folded her arms over her chest but did not respond to his question. She trusted her magic, but she could not be sure of how far the council would go to exert their authority.</p>
<p>The bell above the front door jingled, and a woman entered, one Tara could immediately tell was a witch. The woman briefly made eye contact with Faith as she passed her.</p>
<p>"Quentin, why have you brought me here?" She narrowed her eyes at the man. When Quentin explained the situation to her in preparation for this confrontation, he left many details out. Though she suspected that he did not know how the three women before him were connected.</p>
<p>"Where is the other slayer?" Quentin grinned at Tara, even though he was addressing the newcomer with his question.</p>
<p>"I will not tell you that." Tara barely repressed her smirk at the witch's response.</p>
<p>"What? Why not!? You are sworn to the council. You will do what I say!" Quentin's annoyance was at its peak. He was no longer able to contain his irritation, and he slammed his hand on the table.</p>
<p>"The council, yes. Not the ignorant men who run it. The council exists to support the slayer. Not to harm her." Tara beamed at the witch and the way that she put Quentin in his place.</p>
<p>"I will just find someone else," Quentin waved his hand dismissively and spoke with supreme arrogance. Tara's eyes darted to the witch with apprehension. She had not been expecting such a powerful witch to arrive, and she couldn't help but be concerned about her response. Both Faith and Buffy moved closer, Tara wanted to tell them to keep their distance, but she knew they would never listen.</p>
<p>"There is no one to find. No good witch would be willing to help you, and no evil witch would be able to." The council witch spoke with an easy confidence, and Tara hoped her relief was not evident to the watchers.</p>
<p>The standing watcher yelled, "Where did they go?!" And he fired his gun towards where he had last seen Tara. Faith and Buffy caught the movement and dove between Tara and the man. The bullet hit Faith squarely in the chest, but the damage impacted the man who shot the gun. Buffy had been further away and screamed in fear when she thought that Faith had been injured.</p>
<p>"Perhaps you should have found out more about the spell she used before you allowed your men to act so idiotically." The witch approached the man, who was gasping for air as blood spurted from his chest. "I'm only saving you so that they don't feel guilty about your death." She used her magic to heal the man but did nothing to lessen the pain he was feeling.</p>
<p>"You cast the same spell on us?" Buffy asked as the three of them moved into the training room. Even though they couldn't be overheard, they felt privacy was needed to decide on their next steps.</p>
<p>"I did… I had a bad feeling about how this was going to go." Tara wasn't sure what was going to happen next. She knew that Faith still held guilt for her mistakes and felt that she deserved to be punished. Tara could force the issue, but she wanted Faith to make this decision for herself. Faith needed to believe that she was worth saving.</p>
<p>Faith was standing with her head down. Her heart was still racing. First, she had been terrified that Tara would be hurt, then she was shocked by Buffy's reaction when she thought Faith had been shot. Faith loved both of them and knew that they loved her. But until this moment, she didn't truly understand what that meant.</p>
<p>Fear began to overtake her. The idea that either of them could be hurt because of Faith's past mistakes was more than she could bear.</p>
<p>"What's wrong?" Tara moved to Faith and lifted her chin.</p>
<p>"You're both in danger now because of me. You should just let them take me." Faith was worried about the council's plans for her, but she was far more concerned about Tara or Buffy being hurt in their attempts to keep her safe.</p>
<p>Tara smiled and shook her head. Even if she didn't know the council had ill intent, there was no chance she would let Faith be taken. "Never."</p>
<p>Buffy moved closer and gently took Faith's hand. "This is what you do for people you love, Faith. You would give up your life for theirs. Just like you did with Tara."</p>
<p>A tear trickled down Faith's cheek, "that's why you have to let me go."</p>
<p>"Not a chance." Tara insisted, "would you let either of us sacrifice ourselves the same way?"</p>
<p>Faith frowned and shook her head, "it's not the same thing. I deserve to be punished for what I did."</p>
<p>"You've been punished more than enough." Tara forced Faith to look into her eyes. "Did you really forget everything we talked through?"</p>
<p>"I didn't forget… just…. After everything I did, how can I just..." Faith couldn't finish the question.</p>
<p>"Faith." Tara shook her head, "what about all the incredible things you've done? What about the countless things that happened to you that you definitely didn't deserve?"</p>
<p>"It doesn't excuse what I did." Faith countered.</p>
<p>"No, it doesn't excuse it. But it should mean you get a chance to live. If the council were seriously interested in helping you, that would be one thing. But they fully intend to kill you without giving you any kind of chance." Faith opened her mouth to counter Tara's point, but Tara silenced her with a quick kiss. "Are you going to let them take you away from us? Are you going to let those men in there - who don't care about you or anything but their own power - decide what any of us deserve?"</p>
<p>Faith clenched her jaw. Part of her wanted to let them decide. Wanted to just give in and stop fighting. She shook that thought away. "No - fuck that. We decide."</p>
<p>Tara grinned and squeeze Faith's hands. "Now enough of this. We will get through this without anyone getting hurt."</p>
<p>"What do you plan to do?" Faith was hopeful that Tara had a peaceful solution. Still, she was worried that Tara might do something she would regret. Faith knew first hand how easy it was to slip over to the side of evil, and there was no chance she'd let someone as pure as Tara damage her soul. She would easily give up her own life to prevent Tara from doing the wrong thing.</p>
<p>"Excuse me. I don't mean to interrupt, but I'd like to offer my assistance." The council witch entered the training room before Tara could answer Faith's question.</p>
<p>Buffy and Faith both growled and took an aggressive step towards the witch, both feeling the need to protect Tara. "What makes you think we'd trust you?" Buffy asked through clenched teeth.</p>
<p>"Easy, if she couldn't be trusted - she wouldn't be able to see us." Tara placed her hands gently on each of the slayers' shoulders, and they calmed slightly.</p>
<p>"How are you so powerful without any training?"</p>
<p>Tara was a little taken aback, and her reaction caused the slayers to tense again.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry, let me start again?" The witch had taken a step back and was trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. "My name is Caia. I have worked with the council for a very long time. I have seen the men in charge let the power go to their heads. Much to the detriment of the slayers they are supposed to be supporting. I have stood idly by for too long."</p>
<hr/>
<p>When the four women returned to the living room, it was with Caia in the lead. "They have a proposal."</p>
<p>"I am listening," Quentin replied with indifference, having no intention of agreeing to their terms. His focus was more on searching his mental Rolodex for someone more powerful than Caia, who would be willing to put these Americans in their place.</p>
<p>"Faith and Buffy are willing to rejoin the council and will accept being monitored by a watcher," Caia spoke for them since no one from the council was able to see them.</p>
<p>The watcher who had been almost dead moments ago moved forward with a grin that Faith really wanted to smash off his face. "I'd be happy to watch her." He sneered, and Caia started to regret saving his life.</p>
<p>"That watcher will be named Rupert Giles, and they will both remain in Sunnydale for the foreseeable future. Mr. Giles will receive double the standard watcher's salary as well as back pay." She then looked at Giles. "Assuming Mr. Giles would be willing to accept this responsibility."</p>
<p>Giles smiled easily, having to resist looking in Faith's direction. "Of course, I would be honored to work with Faith." Giles had many regrets regarding Faith and hoped he would not let her down this time around.</p>
<p>"Additionally, you will provide the appropriate salary for each slayer - along with the money you have been withholding." Caia was beginning to enjoy watching Mr. Travers squirm in his seat.</p>
<p>"Why would we agree to any of these demands?" Quentin asked, "she can't hide forever. And there are other actions we can take to make your lives quite unpleasant."</p>
<p>Caia sighed, "are you really this stubborn, old man? If you refuse their proposal, you will have no slayer. Instead, they are offering you two slayers and a very powerful witch."</p>
<p>Quentin's lip curled up in annoyance. The council witches had always been a bane of his existence. He made a mental note to learn as much as possible about Tara. He had underestimated her power and the influence she held over the slayer. There was no doubt that this witch was going to be an obstacle that needed to be removed.</p>
<p>Caia continued, wanting to roll her eyes at his stubbornness. "You will lose your entire purpose for existence. You will additionally lose the support of the coven."</p>
<p>"I see." Quentin rubbed his chin thoughtfully for a moment.</p>
<p>"You don't really have anything to think about. Don't pretend as if you do." Caia was running out of patience., "Faith may have gotten off track - but she is firmly on track now. She poses no threat to anyone, and you know it. So, please. Can we be done with this charade?"</p>
<p>Quentin's head was beginning to throb. "Fine. Is that all?"</p>
<p>Caia sighed and looked at Tara. "What do you want to do?"</p>
<p>Tars frowned and rubbed her temples.</p>
<p>"Tara? What's wrong? I thought they were agreeing?" Buffy asked, not at all liking how distressed Tara was. Along with the fact that she was utterly useless in this situation.</p>
<p>"They still can't see us - that means they're lying. No matter what they're saying, the council still plans to kill us." Tara had expected this inevitability and began the silent mental preparations for what would come next.</p>
<p>Buffy deflated - she had hoped this meeting was almost over.</p>
<p>"Are we done here? We would very much like to leave as soon as possible." Quentin stood and buttoned his jacket.</p>
<p>Tara blew out a breath and removed the protective spell on herself. "We cannot allow you to leave when you still have every intent to kill us."</p>
<p>Quentin grunted in annoyance. "We agreed to your terms."</p>
<p>Tara was getting angry now. "If you weren't lying - you would be able to see the slayers." Tara balled her fists and took a step towards Quentin. "Last chance. Agree to our terms and leave now. Or I will make you agree." Tara clenched her jaw - hating to make this threat but willing to do anything to protect the women she loved.</p>
<p>Buffy and Faith were both at her side. Tara had explained a little of her powers, but neither slayer really knew what she was capable of.</p>
<p>"How dare you!" The watcher, who was foolish enough to take a threatening step towards Tara, found himself flying into the wall with two slayer-fist-sized bruises forming on his chest.</p>
<p>Caia wanted to diffuse the situation, though she was certain it was too late. She was well aware of the magicks swirling around Tara and what she intended to do with them. With as powerful as Tara is, Caia was a little surprised that she had even bothered to attempt a negotiation. "Quentin. You have no choice here. If you force their hand, no one will be happy with the outcome."</p>
<p>Tara closed her eyes and held her breath. When she opened them again, she pushed ever so slightly at Quentin. She had already harvested all the ammo she needed, but if she was lucky, she wouldn't need to use it.</p>
<p>Quentin frowned hard and shook his head. He could feel some kind of intrusion, but he did not understand it. The more he tried to identify it, the more convinced he was that it wasn't there. "I hate this country."</p>
<p>"Then, fucking leave!" Faith spat out, supremely annoyed now. She was so close to having a life, a real life with people in it that she cared about and cared about her.</p>
<p>"Gladly," Quentin said in response and nodded to both slayers, which were now visible to him. "The council will not take any action against the slayer or her companions."</p>
<p>"No one from the council will never step foot in Sunnydale without our approval," Tara added. "Mr. Giles will be provided with full access to council resources. Any and all weapons or other materials that were meant for the slayer will be sent to us immediately."</p>
<p>The head watcher did his best to hide his surprise at all Tara seemed to be aware of. His earlier thoughts about attempting to learn more about Tara and find a way to thwart her were vanishing from his mind. He and the council had plenty of other places to focus their attention. He, of course, did not realize that these thoughts were not his own. "Fine." Quentin huffed and rose. He was more than ready to leave and never return to America at all.</p>
<p>The watcher that had most recently been thrown into a wall folded his arms over his chest and grumbled. Tara sighed, realizing she would need a more blatant show of her abilities to ensure that the rest of the council would follow Quentin's direction.</p>
<p>Plus, there was no way she could let this particular watcher get away with what he had done.</p>
<p>"You should check this man's bank accounts." She turned her attention to Quentin. "He has been selling council property, and…" her voice was full of the loathing she held for the council and the evil men who ran it. "He is a traitor. Even selling secrets. He… he is responsible for the death of the slayer before Buffy."</p>
<p>"She lies!" The man was looking for an escape, but he was completely surrounded. He pulled out his gun and aimed at Tara once again. He was knocked out cold with a punch from Buffy before he could fully raise his arm.</p>
<p>Quentin looked down at the man in disgust. "I never did like him."</p>
<p>"That is a very small display of what I can do." Tara needed to make sure this was the end. "Are we going to have a problem?"</p>
<p>"Your terms are acceptable." Quentin waved his hand at the unconscious man, motioning for the other watcher to remove him.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The council had finally left, and the three women were walking in silence back to Tara's dorm room. Each digesting everything that had just happened.</p>
<p>"Tar?" Faith stopped, and the other two turned to face her.</p>
<p>"Is something wrong?" Tara was waiting for some kind of backlash after what she had just done. She had not expected it to come from Faith, though.</p>
<p>"No." Faith shook her head and put her hands on her hips. "What did you do? You just made that Quentin guy change his mind?"</p>
<p>"Essentially, yes."</p>
<p>"So you can just do that, change the way someone thinks about something - without them even knowing?" Faith asked, her trepidation was evident. Though she herself wasn't entirely sure what answer she was hoping for.</p>
<p>"Yes." Tara wasn't going to try and sugarcoat or explain away what she had done.</p>
<p>"Have you ever done that before?"</p>
<p>Tara sighed a little as she remembered some stupid things she had recklessly done in her youth. It was the primary reason she had been so hesitant to use her magic on the council. It was a dangerous and slippery slope to wield such power. "Yes, when I was younger - before I really understood what I was doing."</p>
<p>Faith was silent for a moment, and Tara waited for the accusation. She couldn't bring herself to look at Buffy - knowing how disappointed she would be.</p>
<p>Buffy watched the interaction in silence. Her first instinct at Tara's confession was to be angry and scold Tara for her past bad behavior. It took only a few moments for the anger to dissipate. Tara already felt more than enough guilt. She knew Tara would never use her power that way again.</p>
<p>"So, you didn't do anything like that to me?" It was a struggle for Faith to get the question out. She was sure that she didn't want to know the answer.</p>
<p>"No, of course not!" Tara quickly replied.</p>
<p>"But you could have, you could have just fixed me." Faith snapped her fingers in demonstration of how easy it could be.</p>
<p>"No." Tara vehemently shook her head and approached Faith cautiously. "Firstly, you didn't need to be fixed. You just needed to be shown that you could be something else. And as for Quentin, I didn't fix him either - he's still a total asshole. I just convinced him to stop caring about you."</p>
<p>Faith chuckled slightly at hearing Tara swear.</p>
<p>"Does that make sense? All I did with you was to talk to you, and I tried to help you see that you weren't evil." Tara really hoped Faith could believe her.</p>
<p>Faith looked at Tara and then over to Buffy. "I guess it doesn't really matter, whatever you did - Thank you." Faith pressed a quick kiss to Tara's lips then started walking again, but Tara stopped her.</p>
<p>"It does matter, though - you need to know that the person you are now and how you feel was not my doing. I did not change you, and I am not the reason you are standing here right now."</p>
<p>Faith laughed, "that's definitely not true. Pretty sure no one else could have made any of this happen - but I think I get what you're saying." Wrapping an arm around Tara and Buffy's waists - Faith began walking again. For the first time in her entire life, Faith felt truly free.</p>
<p>"Hey - what's that?" Buffy pulled ahead slightly and approached Tara's dorm room to see an envelope taped to the door. Before she reached for it, she looked back to Tara for confirmation that it was safe. She opened the envelope to find a letter written from Riley.</p>
<p>
  <em>Buffy -</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I am offering you one last chance. Come to the train station at 9 tonight, or you will never see me again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>- Love Riley</em>
</p>
<p>Buffy shuddered and showed the letter to Tara and Faith.</p>
<p>"One last chance?" Faith raised an eyebrow.</p>
<p>"He seems to think that I secretly want to be with him," Buffy grunted in disgust, crumpling the letter and throwing it away.</p>
<p>"What are you going to do?" Tara asked, and Buffy gave her an incredulous look.</p>
<p>"You think..." She started, but Tara shook her head.</p>
<p>"No, I just mean - maybe you should say goodbye? Just to make sure he's really leaving?"</p>
<p>Buffy considered that for a moment and shook her head. "No, if I show up there - he's going to think it means something."</p>
<p>"Maybe we should at least watch from a distance? We could probably follow him without him seeing us." Faith offered.</p>
<p>"Yeah, that is probably a good idea." Buffy conceded. "It would be a relief to be totally sure he is out of our lives."</p>
<hr/>
<p>It did seem as though Riley was no longer going to be an issue. It had been almost two weeks, and there had been no attacks directed at Tara.</p>
<p>They were even able to confirm he had officially dropped out of school. No one had heard or seen from him since they had watched Riley climb onto a train heading somewhere east. The heartbroken and dejected look on his face almost made Buffy feel bad for him. She just had to remind herself of how overbearing and possibly insane he was to shake any guilt or pity she might feel.</p>
<p>She was not responsible for him or his feelings. He had never cared about hers, so why should she care about his?</p>
<p>In Buffy's mind, they no longer had to worry. Willow had even taken care of the police. No one was after Faith or Tara.</p>
<p>They were safe - as safe as they could be anyway.</p>
<p>Buffy somersaulted over a gravestone - landing a double front kick to one of the demons. The kick sent the creature stumbling towards Faith, who removed its head before it could recover its balance.</p>
<p>There was no time to celebrate as six more similar demons appeared.</p>
<p>"Where's T?" Faith asked as the slayers went back to back.</p>
<p>"I'm here!" Tara shouted and, at the same time, cast her spell on the circle surrounding the demons and the slayers.</p>
<p>The demons were frozen solid, while Buffy and Faith were still able to move. They worked quickly to behead the remaining creatures. It was bizarre when the spell dissipated after sixty seconds, and the demons finally fell to the ground. Their heads sliding off first like in a cheesy horror movie.</p>
<p>When Buffy rose to her feet, she was filled with a feeling she had never quite felt before. Faith was closest, and when Buffy met her eyes, the compulsion took hold. She stalked towards Faith and slid her fingers over Faith's cheek and into her hair. Using a tight grip to draw the younger slayer close and into a crushing kiss.</p>
<p>She kissed Faith with an intensity she never had before. Faith eagerly participated and groaned out a whine when Buffy pulled away. Still with Buffy's fingers threaded in her hair. Tara had moved closer, and Buffy treated her to a much less punishing, but no less intense kiss. Faith used the opportunity to begin kissing Buffy's exposed jawline, eventually wriggling Buffy's hand out of her hair and down to her waist.</p>
<p>Buffy moaned as Faith maneuvered behind her, leaning back and exposing her front more fully to Tara.</p>
<p>"We really need to get back to the dorm." Someone managed to say, but Buffy wasn't aware enough to tell who it was.</p>
<p>It seemed like only moments later that they entered the room. Buffy was intent on continuing to be dominant as she pursued Faith. Turning her around and kissing her. She was consumed with a need to possess both the women that she loved.</p>
<p>However, those women had something else in mind.</p>
<p>Every move Buffy tried to make was thwarted. Tara and Faith moved around her in a dizzying and very confusing way. Before she understood what was happening, they were all three naked and lying on the bed with Buffy in the middle.</p>
<p>"No fair." She managed to moan out as she found herself restrained.</p>
<p>Her whining was met with unsympathetic chuckles as Tara and Faith showered her body with attention.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Buffy watched Tara as she jogged up to her. She was a little confused by Tara already being out of class, but she figured there was some simple explanation. Buffy had a smile on her face, but Tara's was locked in a scowl. Buffy kept a few feet between them, rather than hugging her as she usually would anytime they met.</p>
<p>"Tara?" She asked furtively. Tara had never once not smiled when she saw her, and Buffy couldn't think of anything she might have done that would have upset the witch. Last night and this morning were completely amazing. Buffy had never felt more happy and hopeful, but now she couldn't help but worry that she had done something to ruin things.</p>
<p>"What?" Tara snapped, not slowing her pace at all.</p>
<p>"Um… what's wrong?"</p>
<p>"What's wrong? How about the fact that I can't get two minutes to myself!"</p>
<p>"But.." Buffy felt like she had been punched in the stomach. Tara had never snapped at her or even said a remotely unkind word to her before.</p>
<p>Tara grunted and tried walking faster, even though there was no way she could move faster than the slayer.</p>
<p>"You know it's not safe for you to be out here alone," Buffy said, and Tara stopped walking, turning around with a furious scowl.</p>
<p>"And why isn't it safe? Whose fault is that? Is it my fault? Did I do something to deserve this?"</p>
<p>"No, but…" Buffy stammered and backed up further. Her heart felt like it was going to explode at any moment. It was confusing to her that it hadn't happened already.</p>
<p>"But nothing! Do you have any idea how exasperating you are? I can't do anything on my own. I can't do or say anything that might upset you. It's not fair!" Tara yelled, and Buffy cowered, taking a step back and dropping her shoulders.</p>
<p>Buffy opened her mouth, but she couldn't figure out what to say. It wasn't like Tara was wrong. Buffy had these same thoughts every day. She wasn't even able to think clearly enough to point out that their fears for Tara's safety were almost over. They had agreed that if nothing suspicious happened by the end of the week - they would no longer be worried about someone coming after Tara.</p>
<p>"You told me you'd let the world die for me, after barely a month of us knowing each other. What am I supposed to do with that? How is anyone supposed to deal with that much pressure!?" Tara was yelling, and Buffy stood in silence, accepting Tara's anger. Trying not to let it show how much this was hurting her. She had no defense. Everything Tara was saying was true.</p>
<p>"You know what - I don't want to see you anymore. And don't you dare bother Faith with this. Don't you think she's been through enough?" Tara scowled and took an aggressive step towards Buffy. "Don't you think that <em>you've</em> put her through enough?"</p>
<p>Buffy couldn't say anything. All the life fell out of her as she absorbed Tara's words. There wasn't a bit of it that wasn't true.</p>
<p>"I'm not sure when I will want to talk to you again, but - I wouldn't hold my breath." With that parting shot, Tara stormed off, and Buffy was left standing there, watching her go, trying to figure out how she was going to live without Tara or Faith in her life.</p>
<p>Buffy wasn't sure what to do next. Faith would be with Giles right now, so it would be a good time to go to the dorm and pack all her belongings. Her first thought was to not risk it, but she didn't want Tara to have to deal with any reminders of her.</p>
<p>Quickly she tore through the dorm, grabbing all of her clothes and stuffing them into her suitcase. She also took everything that she thought might remind Tara of Buffy and all the hurt she had caused. She was taking one last look around the room when she heard someone approaching the door. With no other choice, she quickly opened the window and dropped to the ground. She landed hard, but was on her feet and running as quickly as possible.</p>
<p>If it had been Faith or Tara at the door, they would notice the open window and Buffy didn't want either of them to have to deal with seeing her until they were ready. She ran hard until she was a mile from campus. Finally pulling into an alley and looking back to make sure she hadn't been followed.</p>
<p>She leaned against the alley wall and pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. It took her several minutes to craft a message to Faith to explain her leaving in a way that didn't put any blame on Tara. When she was satisfied, she pressed send then immediately shut the phone off.</p>
<p>It crossed her mind to just dispose of the phone or return it. Technically, it wasn't even hers. But she opted to hold on to it, deciding that if anyone did want to talk to her, the phone would be the least painful method for everyone involved.</p>
<p>Buffy wasn't sure where to go after leaving the campus. Going to her mother's house probably made the most sense - but she knew if she did that - she'd have to explain what happened. Her mother would be heartbroken at knowing how much Buffy had hurt Tara.</p>
<p>Buffy couldn't bear to disappoint anyone else, so she went to the only other place she could think of.</p>
<p>Angel's mansion was a complicated place for her. It reminded her even more of how she was meant to be alone. It seemed a fitting place for her to wait for Faith or Tara to tell her what to do.</p>
<p>As she lay on the cold stone floor, memories started to assault her. So many terrible things happened here. Between having to send Angel to a demon dimension and all the horrid fights with Faith. She curled into a tight ball and let the pain of her memories consume her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>"Hey."</p>
<p>Buffy had known Faith was approaching but didn't look up until she heard her voice. "Hey." She moved to sit more upright, not wanting to annoy Faith with her patheticness.</p>
<p>"Mind if I sit?" Faith asked, motioning to the floor next to Buffy.</p>
<p>Buffy's only response was a shrug. Faith decided that was good enough and sat down next to her.</p>
<p>"Pretty fucked up that you picked this place to hide."</p>
<p>Buffy winced, not expecting to hear the venom in Faith's voice.</p>
<p>Faith rolled her eyes and grunted in annoyance, "So I talked to T."</p>
<p>Buffy held her breath and waited.</p>
<p>"We think it'd be best if you left Sunnydale. We've got it all covered here, and it's not really fair for either of us to have to worry about running into you."</p>
<p>"OK," Buffy said. It was what she had assumed they would want.</p>
<p>"Oh - your mom said to not bother asking her for help. Or to even talk to her. She said a lot of other things, too, things I'm not going to bother repeating. I'm sure you get the idea." Faith's voice was eerily flat and emotionless. It was even more painful to Buffy that Faith didn't seem to care about Buffy leaving. Some small part of her hoped that Faith would fight for her. That she'd be on her side.</p>
<p>Buffy only nodded, pulling her knees tight to her chest.</p>
<p>Faith stood up and brushed the dust off her pants. Buffy didn't bother to look up, not needing to see the disdain on the other slayer's face. "I don't hate you, B. Tara doesn't either - not really. She just wants her life back. I'm sure you can understand."</p>
<p>Buffy did understand, completely. Just when she thought Faith was going to leave, instead Buffy felt her moving closer.</p>
<p>"I'm gonna take good care of Tara - so you don't have to worry about that. Part of taking care of her is making sure nothing upsets her. So.." Faith sighed dramatically and leaned closer. "If I <strong><em>ever</em> </strong>see you again - I will beat you to death." Faith's voice cut right through her, and it took all of Buffy's willpower not to react. Finally, she heard Faith scoff and walk away. Buffy didn't dare move until she was sure Faith was completely gone.</p>
<p>When Faith left, Buffy returned to her earlier position. This time her thoughts focused on how she could find enough money to get a bus ticket and get as far away from Sunnydale as quickly as possible.</p>
<p>Her eyes drifted to her suitcase of belongings. It was all she had in the world. She couldn't take the time to get a job and earn enough money to leave, so her only option was to sell her clothes.</p>
<p>Buffy walked out of the shop with $120 in her pocket and misery in her heart. The only thing she didn't sell was Faith's thumb ring. It wasn't hers to sell, and she wasn't sure if it might still be spelled to protect Faith.</p>
<p>The next bus heading to Las Vegas left in the morning. Buffy purchased her ticket and sat down on the bench. Fully intent on sitting there until her bus was ready to go. Faith's thumb ring caught her attention, and she realized she should return it.</p>
<p>Deciding she also at least owed Giles some kind of goodbye - she made her way towards the Magic Box. Making sure to stay off the main streets and climbing up on top of an adjacent building. She'd wait until he either left or was alone to approach him.</p>
<p>"What the…" She watched as everyone she knew, including her mother, made their way into the Magic Box. She frowned as she wondered what they were doing. She hoped it wasn't because of her, but she assumed it was. Faith was probably telling them how she was finally leaving town.</p>
<p>Deciding she wasn't going to bother talking to Giles or anyone else, it wasn't worth the risk that Tara or Faith might see her. She could just mail Faith's ring back to her. One last glance at the Magic Box changed things. She saw three people who she remembered seeing in some of Tara's old photographs.</p>
<p>Buffy started to move before she could even think about what she was doing - she descended the building and moved into the alley and the rear entrance to the Magic Box.</p>
<p>Even though it wasn't her business anymore - she had to make sure that Tara wasn't hurt by her family. Quietly, she snuck into the shop and hid in the shadows to listen. She'd wait and see what happened if it seemed like they were hurting Tara - she'd reveal herself and take care of Tara's family so that Faith wouldn't have to.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, she was immediately spotted by Anya. "Buffy! There you are! We've been looking all over for you!"</p>
<p>Buffy froze in fear as all eyes were suddenly on her.</p>
<p>"Buffy," Tara said softly and took a step towards her. That small movement was enough to break Buffy's stupor. She turned and ran as fast as she could.</p>
<p>"B! Wait!" Faith was chasing after her, and Buffy couldn't seem to run fast enough. She was so tired and weak - part of her wanted Faith to catch her. Hoping that Faith would fulfill her promise.</p>
<p>When Faith managed to catch up to her, she tackled Buffy to the ground - grabbing her wrists and pinning her face down. Buffy didn't at all resist being restrained.</p>
<p>"I'm so sorry I went in there. I just had to make sure they wouldn't hurt her. I promise neither of you ever have to see me again!" Tears were clouding Buffy's eyes, but she didn't think she deserved to let them fall. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for Faith to deliver the killing blow.</p>
<p>"What are you talking about? Nobody wants you to go anywhere." Faith released Buffy's wrists and sat back.</p>
<p>"That's not what she said - that's not what you said," Buffy argued. She kept her eyes clenched tightly shut. She couldn't bear to see Faith's anger and hate. She also didn't want to risk trying to defend herself if Faith decided to attack.</p>
<p>Faith gently flipped Buffy over on to her back and helped her to sit up, "What are you talking about?"</p>
<p>Buffy frowned in confusion, "just let me go. I'm so sorry."</p>
<p>"No way, B. I'm not letting you go until you start making some sense."</p>
<p>Buffy didn't want to explain. "Please, let me go."</p>
<p>Faith stared down at Buffy - trying to understand what was going on. "Just tell me where you've been."</p>
<p>Buffy frowned, "you know where I was."</p>
<p>"No, I really don't. You didn't show up to meet Tara when you were supposed to - then we get a text a few hours later saying you needed some time alone. T's been driving herself crazy trying to find you with magic. We both miss you so much. Please tell me what happened." Faith wanted to be confident that this was in no way her fault, but that was getting more and more difficult as Buffy wasn't answering her questions in a way that made sense.</p>
<p>Confusion forced Buffy to open her eyes. "I did meet Tara - she… she said she didn't want to see me anymore. I went to the dorms, and I packed up my clothes. Later you found me at Angel's mansion and told me to leave Sunnydale."</p>
<p>"B, none of that happened."</p>
<p>"But…"</p>
<p>"Look at me, B. Please." Faith gently caressed Buffy's cheek. Faith was finally starting to believe what Tara had been telling her all along. Buffy didn't leave because she wanted to. She left because someone made her.</p>
<p>Buffy whimpered for a few moments before complying. Faith smiled and leaned over - gently kissing Buffy. When she pulled back, she wiped at Buffy's tears.</p>
<p>"I don't understand. I… I remember…" Buffy blubbered, but looking into Faith's eyes - she knew something was wrong with her memory. Tara would never have said those things. Even if they are true - Tara was far too good a person to ever be so cruel.</p>
<p>"Come on, maybe T can help straighten this out." Faith stood and helped Buffy to stand.</p>
<p>"Was her family really there?"</p>
<p>Faith's eyes widened, "We better hurry."</p>
<p>The slayers turned as one and ran as fast as they could back to the Magic Box and saw Tara standing with her head down. Tears streaming down her face.</p>
<p>"What did you do!?" Buffy screamed and put herself between Tara and her family. As far as she knew, these people were just humans. As much as she wanted to - she could not attack them.</p>
<p>The father smirked, "we didn't do anything. We're her family, and we're here to take her home."</p>
<p>Buffy growled, "we are her family. This is her home. You don't get to take her just because you share blood."</p>
<p>"This isn't your decision, little girl." Tara's father said with a satisfied smirk.</p>
<p>White-hot rage flashed across Buffy's vision. Luckily, Tara's gentle hand touched her shoulder before she could launch her attack against these vile humans.</p>
<p>"Buffy? Where…" Tara hadn't had a chance to really look at Buffy until now. "Faith, let's get her into the training area."</p>
<p>"You're not going anywhere!" Her father stepped forward, and Tara turned to face him. She clenched her fists as she thought of a spell to use against him. Buffy whimpered, and Tara forgot he was even in the room. All of her anger was instantly lost as she focused on Buffy and finding a way to help her.</p>
<p>Faith and Tara corralled Buffy into the training room and set her on the couch, laying her between them. Giles, Willow, Xander, Anya, and Joyce all stood around in confusion. When Tara's family attempted to follow them into the room, Willow threw a spell at the door - locking it tightly shut.</p>
<p>Tara held Buffy in her arms, and Faith joined in. They maneuvered so she was laying on the couch with her head in Tara's lap.</p>
<p>"Tara? Faith?" Buffy looked up with tears in her eyes, her mind swimming as she tried to make sense of her thoughts. The worried faces of everyone else huddled close made her shake and pull away. It was too much - she couldn't understand anything. She was sure everyone hated her, so why were they trying to help her?</p>
<p>"Can you give us some space?" Faith asked, and everyone took a step back.</p>
<p>Tara gently caressed Buffy's cheek, closing her eyes for a moment before reaching into the darkness surrounding Buffy.</p>
<p>"Who are you?" She called out and heard a nefarious laugh in response.</p>
<p><em>"You can't even comprehend what I am, little girl</em>." The gravelly man's voice replied, and Tara scowled.</p>
<p>"Anybody that isn't willing to help - leave now." She commanded and waited for a beat before reaching into the earth. "<em>GET OUT!</em>" She screamed into Buffy's essence, drawing on her connection to the earth as well as everyone else's energy in the room.</p>
<p>Buffy screamed in response, her hands covering her face as she felt like she was being torn apart. Every muscle in her body clenched impossibly tight. She arched off the couch briefly before she began to thrash. Faith did her best to restrain her limbs and make sure no one was injured.</p>
<p>Everyone watched on in horror as they were all brought to their knees by the life force that Tara pulled from them. Willow screamed along with Buffy until she was able to grasp what Tara was doing. Instead of her energy being pulled, she was able to voluntarily add her power to Tara's.</p>
<p>Once her energy stream more freely fed into Buffy, Willow could see what Tara could see - she could feel the evil and dark magic that was surrounding her friend. The darkness called to something inside her. At first, she winced away from it, but it tugged at her and tried to pull her in. Willow did her best to ignore the tug and focus on helping Buffy.</p>
<p>Moving closer, she knelt and reached out to touch Buffy - only to have her attempt blocked by Faith.</p>
<p>Faith was rage personified. She had never had anything before meeting Buffy and Tara. And now someone out there was trying to take her family from her. All she knew was that she had to protect them at all costs.</p>
<p>"Faith." Tara managed to say, "Willow wants to help."</p>
<p>Faith pulled Willow closer, allowing her to place both her hands on Buffy's arm. Buffy's body arched up again, and with one last howl - the dark energy that had been infesting her was expelled.</p>
<p>The room was silent for several seconds. Buffy sat up and blinked a few times. "Do you know where he is?" She wasn't asking anyone in particular.</p>
<p>"I know where the magic-user is," Willow said and rolled her shoulders as she stood up.</p>
<p>"Willow?" Tara reluctantly stood from the couch and moved away from Buffy and Faith to approach Willow.</p>
<p>Willow flinched slightly at the sound of her name, but she didn't respond. Tara was within arms reach now and tried again. "Willow? Come back. Release the darkness. You have to release it."</p>
<p>Willow heard Tara's gentle calls and frowned hard - not at all understanding. She was just trying to help. Why wouldn't Tara want her to help? "I can find him. I can..." she wasn't sure how to finish that sentence. All she knew was rage and power. It was crackling through her, and she had never felt this good in her entire life.</p>
<p>"We will find him and make him pay. But none of us are getting lost in the process. You have to let it go - you have to come back." Tara continued to urge calmly as the rest of the room watched in silence. Only Giles and Tara had any real idea of how dangerous the situation was.</p>
<p>"Will?" Buffy stood next to Tara. "Can you hear me?"</p>
<p>Willow furrowed her brow, still not understanding what was happening. Or why everyone was trying to get her to calm down. Anger seemed perfectly reasonable to her right now.</p>
<p>"Come on, Red. You gotta chill out." The sound of Faith's voice, over everyone else's, absurdly brought Willow more into the moment. She finally realized that she couldn't see properly. Everything was a confusing and smokey light show. The non-magical people in the room barely registered to her - but the bright white power emanating from Tara, Buffy, and Faith burned into her mind.</p>
<p>Her first instinct was to grab for that light - to take it for her own. The horror and shock of that thought caused her to gasp. Her vision finally cleared, and she fell to her knees.</p>
<p>Tara was by her side, "are you OK?"</p>
<p>"I think so..." Willow wanted to ask what happened, but she was terrified of the answer.</p>
<p>"We have to go take care of the magic-user. Are you going to be OK?" Tara placed her hands gently on Willow's shoulders and looked into her eyes.</p>
<p>Willow wanted to argue that she could help - but she was terrified of what just happened. She started to feel shame at almost being pulled into the dark energy. "I'll be OK."</p>
<p>"Don't worry, we'll take good care of her." Xander wrapped his arms around Willow, and Willow latched on to him as she started to shake with the force of her tears. "Maybe when you get back - you can explain what the hell just happened?"</p>
<p>After nodding at Xander's question, Tara looked back at Buffy and Faith, "let's go."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The three women walk in silence, Tara slightly in the lead as she follows the tendrils of magic that only she can see.</p><p>Abruptly, Buffy stops and screams as she punches through a brick wall. Her hand gets stuck, and she continues to scream in frustration as she struggles to pull it out.</p><p>"B!" Faith rushes back to her and tries to help her extricate her fist. "Relax your hand." She wraps herself around Buffy and tries to pull from the energy around them to calm Buffy down.</p><p>"This is all my fault. I just... I just went with him. I didn't even fight." Buffy was beginning to calm, but she didn't feel any better.</p><p>"That's not true." Tara is with them now, and Buffy finally relaxes her fist enough to pull it out of the wall. She pushes away from Tara and Faith, refusing to let them comfort her.</p><p>"It is true. I remember what happened now. I was a few minutes early waiting for Tara. Riley came up to me and said he wanted to apologize. That he felt terrible for what he had done, he said he had something of mine in his car, and I just went with him!"</p><p>"That's not what happened." Tara tried again to convince Buffy that this wasn't her fault.</p><p>"It is! I just went with him, and then I didn't even resist at all when he started doing some kind of magic."</p><p>"We should go to the hospital." Faith says, and Buffy shakes her head.</p><p>"My hand is fine." Her hand actually wasn't fine at all. She was sure she'd broken bones, and it was bleeding profusely from several deep gouges. It was her pain to own, though. She needed to be punished for how much she had hurt Tara and Faith.</p><p>"Not for your hand." Faith takes a closer look, "though probably yeah - you should get that checked out."</p><p>"Then, why?" Buffy huffs in frustration.</p><p>"You need to see that you didn't just give in. You fought like hell." Faith argued. She was starting to really worry that they weren't going to be able to recover from this.</p><p>Buffy frowned and wanted to argue again, but Tara moved closer, reaching for her injured hand. As upset as Buffy was, the last thing she wanted to do was hurt Tara more than she already had. So she didn't resist when Tara wrapped her injured hand in both of hers. After a few moments, Buffy felt her hand being healed.</p><p>"Thank you," She said when Tara took her hands away.</p><p>"Buffy," Tara moved closer and placed her hands gently on Buffy's shoulders, forcing the slayer to look at her. "Not one bit of this is your fault. Come with us, and we'll explain what happened."</p><p>Buffy sniffled a little. She knew she shouldn't be trusting her memory. She really wanted there to be some explanation for what happened. She needed to believe there was some way to get her happy life back. "OK."</p><p>They changed direction and walked in silence once again. Buffy was surprised that they led her to the basement, the same area that she had visited the comatose slayer. Her guilt over that situation resurfaced, and she balked at entering the building.</p><p>"B, we're over it. I don't blame you for what happened. Not even a little. You stopped me from turning into a complete monster." Faith smiled and moved closer, kissing Buffy gently on the forehead and then kissing her tears away before reaching her lips. She put all the emotion she could muster into the soft kisses, and Buffy began to melt. "I love you, B. Because of you, I have everything I could ever want."</p><p>Buffy couldn't help but smile at that.</p><p>"Now come on. Let us show you how hard you fought."</p><p>They entered the brightly lit room, and Buffy gasped at what she saw. Riley was in a full-body cast. Even his head was covered in bandages.</p><p>"I did this?" Buffy was beyond shocked.</p><p>"His brains are pretty scrambled, but there is enough left to see what happened. Let me show you." Tara went to move closer to the bed, but Buffy stopped her.</p><p>"I don't need to see. I believe it." Then Buffy shook her head a little to keep her composure. "I remember now."</p><p>"So, you see? You didn't just give in to him. It wasn't your fault that he was able to use magic on you." Tara really hoped that Buffy could believe her.</p><p>"Some of it was, though." Buffy sucked in a breath. "Riley kept demanding that the warlock convince me that I loved him, but it wouldn't work. No matter what they tried, I would never believe that I loved him. Then he tried convincing me that I didn't love Tara. That didn't work either."</p><p>Buffy frowned hard as her insecurities flooded her once again.</p><p>"But then... he dug into my head and came up with a new plan. All the things I've thought since we met... how it was my fault you were in danger because of Riley. How neither of you wanted really wanted me." Buffy gritted her teeth and refused to cry. There were even more fears that they preyed upon, but she didn't want to admit them out loud.</p><p>Tara could feel Buffy slipping away, and there was no way she was going to let that happen. "Buffy... let me... let me fix this for you."</p><p>"Fix it? How can you fix it? None of what I think is wrong. I am the reason you've been in danger. I'm the reason Faith was in a coma. How can you fix any of that? Can you erase all those memories from my mind?" Buffy was spiraling, and she was beginning to wonder why they wouldn't just let her go.</p><p>Tara held in a breath, doing her best to hold back tears at Buffy's agony. "I can't erase those things, but I can remind you of how you really feel."</p><p>Buffy wanted to argue but managed to control herself. It was obvious how much she was hurting Tara, but she didn't know how to stop.</p><p>"The bond between us has been broken. I want to renew it. Can I?" Tara asked, and worried that she might have to force the issue.</p><p>"Yes, please," Buffy said without hesitation. Now that her memory of the encounter with Riley was coming back to her, so was the memory of the bond she had once shared with Tara and Faith. She definitely wanted that back.</p><p>Tara didn't really want to do this in Riley's hospital room, but she also didn't want to go another moment without feeling the bond they had once shared. "This will be different than last time. It will be more intense, and our connection will be as well."</p><p>Neither Buffy nor Faith hesitated even a moment with this news. They both desperately wanted to return to the way things were before.</p><p>The three women sat down and joined hands. Tara closed her eyes and let herself fall into the magic surrounding them. It was a little more work without the proper circle and stones, but it didn't take her long to reconnect their spirits and secure the bond between them.</p><p>When the process was complete, Buffy rose to her feet first with renewed confidence - holding out her hands to help Tara and Faith to their feet. She was amazed at how she was feeling. She felt more powerful than she ever thought possible. The connection to Tara and Faith was incredibly intense. Their love swirled through her, and any doubts or fears she was sure of only moments ago - were completely wiped away.</p><p>She wondered how she could have ever believed the doubts that Riley had so easily fed on. As the moments ticked by, she began to realize that those doubts were never as strong as she'd thought.</p><p>"Let's finish this." She said and led them outside.</p><p>The three women walked in lock-step. Each was now able to follow the swirl of energy Tara had identified as belonging to the magic-user that had infiltrated Buffy's mind.</p><p>Just as they were to approach where the signature was the strongest, Caia appeared to them out of no where.</p><p>"Caia?" Tara asked, very confused as to how the council witch was suddenly here. "What are you doing here?"</p><p>Tara's accusatory tone caused the slayers to move protectively in front of her. Tara immediately softened her voice and tried to calm the slayers.</p><p>"Are you here to help us?"</p><p>"I am." Caia looked behind her nervously.</p><p>"Don't need help." Faith said. She was desperate to unleash her rage on someone, and she didn't want this witch to interfere.</p><p>"I am afraid the circumstances have changed." Caia shuddered and tried to figure out what she was going to do.</p><p>"What do you mean?" Tara asked, placing a hand on each slayer's shoulder to calm them.</p><p>"Your little detour has created an entirely new issue." Caia's fear was palpable.</p><p>"What issue is that?" Tara frowned as she tried to piece things together. She had noticed that something had changed as they crossed town to find the magic-user.</p><p>"I think she means me." Suddenly Willow was there, floating several feet in the air. This was not the most alarming thing about the situation, though.</p><p>Her skin was pasty white, and her veins shown black through her skin. On top of that, her naturally red hair was now pitch black. It was even more disturbing that her eyes were completely black.</p><p>Tara winced against the force of the evil power that was pouring off of her. The slayers felt the same magic, but they were far more accustomed to fighting their way through evil energies.</p><p>"Willow?" She took a step forward, not wanting to believe that Willow was beyond help at this point. "What are you doing?"</p><p>"I helped you out with your little problem." She said with satisfaction.</p><p>"OK... and now what are you going to do?" Buffy asked, taking a slow step towards Willow. Her hands held out to the side to show that she was no threat.</p><p>Willow cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders. "I hadn't really decided."</p><p>Buffy tried to take another step towards Willow, only to find that both Faith and Tara had grabbed onto her and were holding her back.</p><p>Willow grinned at the fear she saw in these powerful women. "You have no idea how good I feel right now. All of this power..." She clenched her fists and held them out. "I can do anything I want."</p><p>Cais wasn't sure what to do, but she knew she had to do something. Tara and the slayers might win this confrontation, but it was improbable that they would come out unscathed. "Willow."</p><p>Willow turned to the intruder and scowled. "What do you want?"</p><p>"You have to release this power. It's not yours to have." Caia's voice shook with nervousness, which was only made worse by Willow's apparent delight in being the source of her fear.</p><p>Willow scowled as she took in the intruding witch's words and floated another foot or so in the air. "It is mine! I took it fair and square." She pouted in a way that did not at all work with her dark visage. "He needed to be punished, so I punished him and made sure he can never hurt anyone again!"</p><p>"That magic was stolen. It did not belong to him or anyone else. Magic is not meant to be contained this way." Caia knew she was in grave danger now. The dark magicks Willow wielded were beyond her capabilities. Her skill set was far more academic. Caia had never been in battle and could not think quickly enough to think of a way to defend herself. At this point, she was mostly hoping to distract Willow long enough for Tara to find a solution.</p><p>"I don't think I like you." A violent burst of lighting shot from Willow's fingertips and into Caia. Willow didn't stop until the smell of burning flesh surrounded them, and Caia's lifeless body dropped to the ground. Only when she was confident that Caia was dead did she turn her attention back to Tara. "Do you agree with her?"</p><p>Tara hesitated, and that seemed to be all the answer Willow needed. She flew towards Tara, grabbing her and carrying her away from the slayers before anyone could react.</p><p>"Willow! Don't do this!" Buffy screamed and took up the chase. Faith was right next to her, but no matter how hard they pushed, they could not gain any ground on Willow.</p><p>"Why are you doing this? I'm your friend." Tara tried to talk some sense into Willow, but she wasn't too hopeful of the outcome.</p><p>Willow stopped her attempt to escape from the slayers. Instead, she turned to face them as she rose several more feet in the air. Buffy and Faith watched on in horror as Tara was held tightly and painfully by Willow.</p><p>"Please let her go, Willow. Please!" Buffy begged. She was beyond desperate to find a solution to this problem.</p><p>"No, I don't think I will." Willow then wrapped her arms around Tara in a way that seemed more like a lover's embrace. "You already have a girlfriend. Why do you get to have two?"</p><p>"What?" Buffy asked in horror as what Willow was suggesting began to sink in. "You can't just take her if she doesn't want to be with you," Buffy argued lamely back, just trying to buy time and hope that someone other than her had the answer to this nightmare.</p><p>"Oh, but I think I can." Willow held Tara around her waist while gently stroking the other witch's cheek. "You seem to like messing with other people's minds - let's see how you like it."</p><p>Tara shook for a moment as she tried to resist what Willow was doing to her. It didn't take much for her to realize how hopeless it was. Willow was overflowing with potent magic. With Tara floating in the air, she couldn't reach into the earth to draw power as she usually would. The slayers were even too far away for her to use her connection to them.</p><p>She fought as valiantly as she could. She even tried to push back into Willow's mind, but nothing was working. When Willow moved in to kiss her, she didn't resist at all. She hadn't even considered it.</p><p>"Mmm." Willow hummed into the kiss and pulled Tara even closer. "Now I see why you were always so crazy about her."</p><p>"Willow, please don't do this. Please stop!" Buffy begged with tears streaming down her cheeks.</p><p>"I know you're sad now, but don't worry. I'll fix things so you won't ever remember loving Tara. And since I'm feeling kinda generous, I'll even let you keep Faith." Willow grinned and kissed Tara again, this time with even more passion.</p><p>Buffy and Faith watched on in complete horror. Each felt that they owed Tara everything. The fact that they couldn't protect her was devastating. The longer the kiss went on, the closer into despair they each fell.</p><p>"Why are we floating?" Tara asked after Willow stopped kissing her. "Do you mind putting us down, sweetie?"</p><p>Willow grinned and slowly lowered them to the ground. "See how happy she is? You made her so miserable. I'm the only one who can keep her this happy." Willow caressed Tara's cheek and kissed her yet again as they drifted lower.</p><p>"No," Buffy uttered in a small voice. Her world was crumbling, and she hated how helpless she felt.</p><p>When the witches finally reached the ground, suddenly everything changed. Buffy and Faith both heard Tara screaming in their heads for help. They spared a quick glance at each other before they launched themselves at Willow. Faith wrapped her arms around Tara and used her momentum to pull her away from Willow. At the same time, Buffy tackled Willow to the ground and rolled them in an attempt to put her into an immobilizing hold.</p><p>Willow giggled at Buffy's attempt to restrain her and tried to use her magic to shove Buffy away. Her mood quickly soured when she wasn't able to shake the slayer. "How are you doing that?!" Willow frowned and kicked her feet at the ground like a toddler. "Let me go!" Willow shouted and tried again to use her magic.</p><p>Buffy didn't quite understand what was happening, but she could tell that Willow was trying to do something to her, but it wasn't working. Somehow, she countered each of Willow's spells by siphoning the magic away and into the earth.</p><p>Tara rose shakily, letting Faith take most of her weight. She scowled as her mind cleared of the magic Willow had used on her.</p><p>"Are you OK?" Faith asked, not letting Tara out of a tight embrace.</p><p>"I will be, thank you." Tara gratefully sank into the slayer, drawing on Faith's physical strength to help her regain her bearings.</p><p>Meanwhile, Willow was getting more and more frustrated as none of the magic she attempted was working. She also began to notice something else. Each time she tried to access her magic, there was less and less of it. Willow had stolen an immense amount of power from the warlock, but now it was slipping away. She started to wail and blubber in frustration. "Let me go!" She tried one last burst of magic to force Buffy away from her, but that didn't work either.</p><p>As the last of the magic she had stolen seeped out of her, she started to become more conscious of what was happening. She had killed two people and had attempted to use magic to get Tara to love her. Now her wails of frustration turned into screams of pure horror. "No no no. I didn't do this! NO!"</p><p>Buffy hadn't felt any attempts from Willow to use magic for almost a minute. She hoped that meant Willow was done. She looked over to Tara and Faith for advice on what to do next. Her best friend was extremely upset about what she had just done, but Buffy wasn't sure it was safe to let her go. Her skin and hair had returned to their normal condition, but Buffy really didn't want to take any chances.</p><p>Tara slowly approached the pair, and Faith was right at her side. Tara knelt next to Willow and tried to get her attention. WIllow's eyes had been clamped shut for several minutes, and tara needed to see them before she could be sure that this was over.</p><p>"I'm so sorry!" Willow was repeating the phrase over and over in desperation.</p><p>"Open your eyes, Willow."</p><p>Willow squeezed her eyes shut tighter. "You should just kill me. Kill me now!" Willow shouted, still not opening her eyes.</p><p>"Not a chance." Faith replied. As furious as she was with what just happened - killing Willow for letting magic overcome her seemed hypocritical. "You fucked up. But that doesn't mean you should die."</p><p>That got Willow to open her eyes and look at Faith in confusion. "How can you say that?"</p><p>Faith just grinned at her and motioned for Buffy to let her go. Faith helped Willow to her feet and looked at Buffy and Faith for confirmation. They each nodded and waited for Faith to continue.</p><p>"I can say that because I was you. I know exactly what you were just feeling. Riding on a high of feeling like you could do anything you want. Believing that just because you have power - that you can do anything you want with it."</p><p>Willow shook her head in horror. "I assaulted Tara! I was planning on doing so many much worse things. I know I said I wasn't going to hurt you, but I was lying. As soon as I had the chance, I was going to take Buffy too.</p><p>Faith just barely managed to not let the rage she felt about that confusion show. "Doesn't matter, Red. You don't get to take the easy way out here."</p><p>Willow scowled. "I was going to take everything from you!" She shouted and stalked towards Faith.</p><p>"I forgive you." Faith says, and Willow bellows before launching herself at Faith.</p><p>"You can't!" She screamed and pounded on Faith's chest.</p><p>Faith didn't try to stop Willow. She simply stood still while the witch worked through her pain.</p><p>It didn't take long for Willow to tire. She was beyond exhausted, mentally, and physically. Her punches no longer have any power behind them, and she was crying uncontrollably.</p><p>Buffy watched the scene in complete horror. She wanted to intervene and make sure Faith wasn't hurt. But she understood what Faith was doing and didn't want to interfere.</p><p>Only when Willow dropped to her knees did Buffy finally move to her. she sat down next to her and wrapped Willow in a hug.</p><p>"You two should go check on Caia." Buffy motioned to the prone form of Caia, which was beginning to stir. She was immensely relieved that the council witch wasn't dead.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Buffy." Willow latched tightly to Buffy and continued to cry.</p><p>Buffy took a deep, centering breath before she spoke. "Why did you try to take Tara? do you... have feelings for her?" Even though this wasn't at all the point - she needed to know.</p><p>"No!" Willow objected immediately and pulled back. "I don't really know why I did that. I think I was just jealous."</p><p>"What were you jealous of?" Buffy held her breath and hoped that she wasn't about to hear what she feared.</p><p>Willow couldn't bear to meet Buffy's eyes. She pulled out of the embrace and wrapped her arms around her midsection. "Oz left."</p><p>"What happened? Why didn't you tell me?" Buffy couldn't believe that she had missed entirely what her friend had been going through.</p><p>"I was embarrassed that after everything that happened between us - I wanted him, but he didn't want me."</p><p>Buffy frowned at the pain her friend was experiencing. At the same time, she wasn't sure she could forgive her for trying to hurt Tara that way.</p><p>It made her more than a little guilty that she wasn't able to forgive her when she had forgiven Faith.</p><p>She could see Tara and Faith helping Caia to stand. "What are you going to do now?"</p><p>"I don't know." Willow frowned.</p><p>"Maybe you need to leave Sunnydale for a while. focus on using your magic in a safer way - far away from the hell mouth." Buffy's suggestion wasn't exactly altruistic. She hoped that time away from Willow would help her find a way to forgive her.</p><p>"Maybe, I don't know where I could go."</p><p>"Perhaps I can offer you a solution?" Caia said as the trio returned.</p><p>Willow grimaced when she looked up to see Caia glaring down at her. Much of her clothes were burned away, and there was still the acrid stench of roasted flesh clinging to her.</p><p>She was desperate to apologize, but she couldn't imagine an appropriate way.</p><p>"You are a powerful witch." Caia knelt so she could be face to face with Willow. "I offer you two paths forward."</p><p>Willow nodded, indicating Caia should continue.</p><p>"It is possible to permanently bind your powers."</p><p>"Bind..." Willow gasped in horror at the suggestion. "But I need my power! I use magic all the time to help kill vampires and demons." She argued and immediately felt terrible when she saw the disappointed look on everyone's faces.</p><p>"Think about it, Will," Buffy stated as she rose to be closer to Tara and Faith. "You'd be able to leave Sunnydale. You could get a real education and do something amazing with that big brain of yours.".</p><p>Tara stood silently as she considered the idea of binding Willow's powers. Binding a witch's power was no minor thing. She was confident that she could craft a spell that might not be so drastic. It occurred to her that Buffy and Faith might not actually want a solution that allowed Willow to stay in Sunnydale, so she kept the suggestion to herself.</p><p>"What's the other option?" Willow asked in misery.</p><p>"You can return to England with me." Caia offered and tried not to react to the way the slayers' posture reacted. It would not help Willow's stability to know that they wanted her to leave.</p><p>"So you can lock me up?" Willow paled at the suggestion. If the choice was no magic or prison, she was pretty sure she'd prefer to give up magic.</p><p>"Not to imprison you." Caia shook her head. "You would learn how to use magic responsibly and work towards joining the coven."</p><p>Willow jumped up in excitement. "You would really do that?" Her body was beginning to ache and shake with withdrawals. Now that there was a path to feeling magic again, she couldn't contain her excitement.</p><p>Caia frowned a little at Willow's reaction, but she nodded. Willow had clearly not learned her lesson.</p><p>But, as lost and misguided as Willow was, she was still powerful and could be a useful addition to the coven. "I must warn you - joining the coven is no small matter. You must start at the beginning. It will be grueling and tedious. it may take several years before you are fully welcomed into the fold."</p><p>"I'll do it," Willow said with confidence. "Whatever it takes. I will do anything to make sure I don't fall into the magic and hurt anyone ever again."</p><p>"Are you sure about this?" Buffy asked. She couldn't help but want Willow to take the no magic route. If Willow still has magic, Buffy wasn't sure she'd ever feel safe.</p><p>"What happens if she goes off the rails again?" Faith cut in before Willow could answer Buffy's question. Her arms crossed over her chest as she tried to contain her rage at this situation.</p><p>"She will be very closely monitored. If we feel she is not taking her training seriously - we will bind her powers without her consent." Caia was simplifying the situation, but she could tell that everyone needed assurances that Willow was no longer going to be a danger to them.</p><p>Willow clenched her fists under the accusatory glares of Buffy and Faith. Faith had talked about forgiveness, but it didn't seem like she meant it. Her mind raced with possible spells that might remedy this situation. She wasn't evil, and she didn't understand why her best friend couldn't see that.</p><p>"Will." Buffy approached Willow slowly. The struggle the witch was going through was evident on her face. Buffy really did want her friend to be able to recover from this epic mistake, so she swallowed her fears. "I know you didn't mean to hurt anyone. I know you were just trying to help."</p><p>Willow began to relax at Buffy's calming words.</p><p>"I know you'll do great with the coven. They'll help you learn more about your magic, and you'll be back here in no time." Buffy opened her arms and sighed in relief as the magic that Willow had been gathering around herself began to dissipate.</p><p>Willow gratefully fell into Buffy's embrace. "You really want me to come back?"</p><p>Buffy smiled, "of course I do. You're still my best friend, and I know you are going to do amazing things."</p><p>Willow wasn't entirely sure she believed Buffy, but she did appreciate what the slayer was trying to do. When Buffy returned to Tara and Faith's side, Willow looked over to Caia. "I guess we should go right now?"</p><p>Caia nodded. She was still more than a little drained from Willow's attack, and she knew when she contacted the coven, there was going to be some pushback on what she was proposing. There didn't seem to be any other option, though. She hoped she could convince her sister witches that this was the best move for all involved.</p><hr/><p>After returning to the Magic Box to tell everyone what happened, they returned to Tara's dorm room and collapsed into bed. Buffy lay in the middle, her arms wrapped tightly around Tara, and Faith was pressed tightly to her back.</p><p>They were too mentally and physically drained to say anything. The three women simply held each other and let the magic they shared bring them comfort. Each reveled in the love they felt for each other.</p><p>Even though they had just gone through complete hell - they had made it through, and their bond was stronger than ever.</p>
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